What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
During preflight pilot verified fuel quantity via cockpit instruments only and did not open a wing tank to physically verify fuel quantity. Pilot stated fuel quantity on the left wing tank indicated between 1/4 to 1/2 on the fuel gauge. Pilot stated he estimated that the left tank had approximately 15 gallons of fuel. Pilot used left wing tank for taxi, takeoff and climb to cruising altitude of 3500 feet. Pilot stated he switched to the left wing tip tank after reaching cruising altitude. Pilot stated he observed fuel streaming from the fuel cap of both wing tanks during the flight. Pilot switched from the left wing tip tank to the left wing tank approximately 15 minutes prior to landing. Pilot stated at the final approach fix to RNAV 14 krpk he configured the airplane for landing and lowered the gear. Pilot stated the engine sputtered a few times and quit shortly after lowering the gear. Pilot stated he switched to the right wing tank in an attempt to restart the engine. Pilot stated he did not verify fuel flow or activate the auxiliary fuel boost pump as recommended in the aircraft's pilot operator handbook. Pilot stated when the engine failed to restart he switched back to the left wing tank, raised the landing and ditched the aircraft in the copano bay approximately 2NM short of rwy 14.
As the FAA filed it
DURING PREFLIGHT PILOT VERIFIED FUEL QUANTITY VIA COCKPIT INSTRUMENTS ONLY AND DID NOT OPEN A WING TANK TO PHYSICALLY VERIFY FUEL QUANTITY. PILOT STATED FUEL QUANTITY ON THE LEFT WING TANK INDICATED BETWEEN 1/4 TO 1/2 ON THE FUEL GAUGE. PILOT STATED HE ESTIMATED THAT THE LEFT TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS OF FUEL. PILOT USED LEFT WING TANK FOR TAXI, TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO CRUISING ALTITUDE OF 3500 FEET. PILOT STATED HE SWITCHED TO THE LEFT WING TIP TANK AFTER REACHING CRUISING ALTITUDE. PILOT STATED HE OBSERVED FUEL STREAMING FROM THE FUEL CAP OF BOTH WING TANKS DURING THE FLIGHT. PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT WING TIP TANK TO THE LEFT WING TANK APPROXIMATELY 15 MINUTES PRIOR TO LANDING. PILOT STATED AT THE FINAL APPROACH FIX TO RNAV 14 KRPK HE CONFIGURED THE AIRPLANE FOR LANDING AND LOWERED THE GEAR. PILOT STATED THE ENGINE SPUTTERED A FEW TIMES AND QUIT SHORTLY AFTER LOWERING THE GEAR. PILOT STATED HE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT WING TANK IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. PILOT STATED HE DID NOT VERIFY FUEL FLOW OR ACTIVATE THE AUXILIARY FUEL BOOST PUMP AS RECOMMENDED IN THE AIRCRAFT'S PILOT OPERATOR HANDBOOK. PILOT STATED WHEN THE ENGINE FAILED TO RESTART HE SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT WING TANK, RAISED THE LANDING AND DITCHED THE AIRCRAFT IN THE COPANO BAY APPROXIMATELY 2NM SHORT OF RWY 14.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.