What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The flight originated at 1800 in Nevada MO (nvd airport) where the aircraft was fully fueled before flight. Fueling the aircraft per the checklist required the pilot select right tank then left tank while fueling each wingtank respectivly. Prior to departure the pilot kent kellenberger failed to select "both" tanks while going through the take off checklist. privacy data omitted Flew solo to fort scott airport (fsk) and picked up privacy data omitted CFI pilot (a distance of approximately 26 miles). Pilot and co-pilot took off from fsk and flew to butler MO kbum (approx. 41 miles direct) and performed instrument approaches. On the return trip to fsk the aircraft engine started idling down then stalled completely while the aircraft was approximately 10 miles out. Being a CFI pilot and having more experience, privacy data omitted took over as pilot, and believing the fuel tank selector was selected to “both” as per the preflight checklist, commanded privacy data omitted to switch from "both" tanks to right wing fuel tank. (The selector lever is in a difficult place to visually verify on this particular model aircraft) privacy data omitted did not fully understand the order given by privacy data omitted and seeing no immediate positive response from the engine switched the selector back to it's original position (later discovered to be left tank). With no power from the engine and fighting a headwind of approximately 10 knots too much loss of airspeed/altitude ensued and an unpowered landing in an open field resulted. After the landing privacy data omitted noted the right fuel tank continued to indicate full while the left indicated empty. privacy data omitted Then checked the fuel tank selector and found left tank was selected.
As the FAA filed it
THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT 1800 IN NEVADA MO (NVD AIRPORT) WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS FULLY FUELED BEFORE FLIGHT. FUELING THE AIRCRAFT PER THE CHECKLIST REQUIRED THE PILOT SELECT RIGHT TANK THEN LEFT TANK WHILE FUELING EACH WINGTANK RESPECTIVLY. PRIOR TO DEPARTURE THE PILOT KENT KELLENBERGER FAILED TO SELECT "BOTH" TANKS WHILE GOING THROUGH THE TAKE OFF CHECKLIST. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FLEW SOLO TO FORT SCOTT AIRPORT (FSK) AND PICKED UP ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CFI PILOT (A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 26 MILES). PILOT AND CO-PILOT TOOK OFF FROM FSK AND FLEW TO BUTLER MO KBUM (APPROX. 41 MILES DIRECT) AND PERFORMED INSTRUMENT APPROACHES. ON THE RETURN TRIP TO FSK THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE STARTED IDLING DOWN THEN STALLED COMPLETELY WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 10 MILES OUT. BEING A CFI PILOT AND HAVING MORE EXPERIENCE, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TOOK OVER AS PILOT, AND BELIEVING THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR WAS SELECTED TO “BOTH” AS PER THE PREFLIGHT CHECKLIST, COMMANDED ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ TO SWITCH FROM "BOTH" TANKS TO RIGHT WING FUEL TANK. (THE SELECTOR LEVER IS IN A DIFFICULT PLACE TO VISUALLY VERIFY ON THIS PARTICULAR MODEL AIRCRAFT) ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ DID NOT FULLY UNDERSTAND THE ORDER GIVEN BY ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ AND SEEING NO IMMEDIATE POSITIVE RESPONSE FROM THE ENGINE SWITCHED THE SELECTOR BACK TO IT'S ORIGINAL POSITION (LATER DISCOVERED TO BE LEFT TANK). WITH NO POWER FROM THE ENGINE AND FIGHTING A HEADWIND OF APPROXIMATELY 10 KNOTS TOO MUCH LOSS OF AIRSPEED/ALTITUDE ENSUED AND AN UNPOWERED LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD RESULTED. AFTER THE LANDING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ NOTED THE RIGHT FUEL TANK CONTINUED TO INDICATE FULL WHILE THE LEFT INDICATED EMPTY. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ THEN CHECKED THE FUEL TANK SELECTOR AND FOUND LEFT TANK WAS SELECTED.