What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Arrived on scene on 9/18/22. Interviewed pilots: pilot in training (the owner of the aircraft – this individual does not yet have a student pilot certificate) was flying with CFII in Piper tripacer during his ppl training. Both pilots testified weather was good and that they were well-rested. During preflight the privacy data omitted stated they checked fuel visually and planned for a 2 hour flight. They had flown the day prior, flying several hours. Both pilots stated they did not refuel following the prior day’s flight. CFII stated they took off using left fuel tank, and switched to right tanks before completing some maneuvers (required right tank per POH). CFII stated that after 1 hour into the flight, privacy data omitted switched tanks (selector located near his left leg) to left tank just prior to traffic pattern entry at gbr. privacy data omitted Confirmed this statement. Both pilots stated approach was high and fast and they elected to do a go-around. During the go-around, pilots stated aircraft engine got quiet without sputtering or other signs of impending failure, and lost power. CFII took controls for poweroff landing at field. CFII completed full stall landing with minimal ground run. CFII stated that on landing, about 100’ after ground roll, aircraft right wheel dug in and swung plane around, causing significant damage. privacy data omitted Said he turned off the ignition and turned fuel selector to "off" after seeing leaking fuel. End of interview.
Weather reports from noaa confirm testimony. Airplane damage matched the above testimony. During inspection, the fuel selector was in the "right" position. After aircraft recovered from the field, the inspector checked the engine's components. Propeller rotated with no issues. Top spark plugs pulled, prop rotated. All four cylinders made good compression. Left magneto had impulse coupler, so all spark plugs on left mag tested, all showed good spark on rotation. Oil filter removed and checked. No contaminates found in oil filer, or oil. Fuel in strainer drained, checked clear no water or sediment, fuel strainer checked no contaminates found.
Several weeks after the interview, the pilot in training privacy data omitted followed up with a statement saying he that he suspected the fuel gauges themselves may not have been accurate.
As the FAA filed it
ARRIVED ON SCENE ON 9/18/22. INTERVIEWED PILOTS: PILOT IN TRAINING (THE OWNER OF THE AIRCRAFT – THIS INDIVIDUAL DOES NOT YET HAVE A STUDENT PILOT CERTIFICATE) WAS FLYING WITH CFII IN PIPER TRIPACER DURING HIS PPL TRAINING. BOTH PILOTS TESTIFIED WEATHER WAS GOOD AND THAT THEY WERE WELL-RESTED. DURING PREFLIGHT THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ STATED THEY CHECKED FUEL VISUALLY AND PLANNED FOR A 2 HOUR FLIGHT. THEY HAD FLOWN THE DAY PRIOR, FLYING SEVERAL HOURS. BOTH PILOTS STATED THEY DID NOT REFUEL FOLLOWING THE PRIOR DAY’S FLIGHT. CFII STATED THEY TOOK OFF USING LEFT FUEL TANK, AND SWITCHED TO RIGHT TANKS BEFORE COMPLETING SOME MANEUVERS (REQUIRED RIGHT TANK PER POH). CFII STATED THAT AFTER 1 HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SWITCHED TANKS (SELECTOR LOCATED NEAR HIS LEFT LEG) TO LEFT TANK JUST PRIOR TO TRAFFIC PATTERN ENTRY AT GBR. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ CONFIRMED THIS STATEMENT. BOTH PILOTS STATED APPROACH WAS HIGH AND FAST AND THEY ELECTED TO DO A GO-AROUND. DURING THE GO-AROUND, PILOTS STATED AIRCRAFT ENGINE GOT QUIET WITHOUT SPUTTERING OR OTHER SIGNS OF IMPENDING FAILURE, AND LOST POWER. CFII TOOK CONTROLS FOR POWEROFF LANDING AT FIELD. CFII COMPLETED FULL STALL LANDING WITH MINIMAL GROUND RUN. CFII STATED THAT ON LANDING, ABOUT 100’ AFTER GROUND ROLL, AIRCRAFT RIGHT WHEEL DUG IN AND SWUNG PLANE AROUND, CAUSING SIGNIFICANT DAMAGE. ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ SAID HE TURNED OFF THE IGNITION AND TURNED FUEL SELECTOR TO "OFF" AFTER SEEING LEAKING FUEL. END OF INTERVIEW.
WEATHER REPORTS FROM NOAA CONFIRM TESTIMONY. AIRPLANE DAMAGE MATCHED THE ABOVE TESTIMONY. DURING INSPECTION, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS IN THE "RIGHT" POSITION. AFTER AIRCRAFT RECOVERED FROM THE FIELD, THE INSPECTOR CHECKED THE ENGINE'S COMPONENTS. PROPELLER ROTATED WITH NO ISSUES. TOP SPARK PLUGS PULLED, PROP ROTATED. ALL FOUR CYLINDERS MADE GOOD COMPRESSION. LEFT MAGNETO HAD IMPULSE COUPLER, SO ALL SPARK PLUGS ON LEFT MAG TESTED, ALL SHOWED GOOD SPARK ON ROTATION. OIL FILTER REMOVED AND CHECKED. NO CONTAMINATES FOUND IN OIL FILER, OR OIL. FUEL IN STRAINER DRAINED, CHECKED CLEAR NO WATER OR SEDIMENT, FUEL STRAINER CHECKED NO CONTAMINATES FOUND.
SEVERAL WEEKS AFTER THE INTERVIEW, THE PILOT IN TRAINING ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ FOLLOWED UP WITH A STATEMENT SAYING HE THAT HE SUSPECTED THE FUEL GAUGES THEMSELVES MAY NOT HAVE BEEN ACCURATE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.