What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
2022-10-07 privacy data omitted zenith CH-750 Libby, MN. On the return trip from aitkin, MN (kait) to mcgregor, MN (khzx) the PIC decided that he would do some site seeing near his childhood home in palisade, MN. The PIC stated that as he was flying he noticed the left fuel tank was at around 1/4 tank and that he estimated that it had 3 to 4 gallons of fuel left while the right tank was at or near 3/4 tank and that there was approximately 7 to 8 gallons left so he switched the fuel selector the right tank only to correct the imbalance. The PIC stated that as a result of the location of the ipad on the glare shield he was unable to get a clear view of the right fuel gauge and forgot that he had the right fuel tank only selected, the PIC also stated that he did not have a clock onboard the aircraft that may have prompted him to keep a closer eye on the remaining fuel in the right wing.
The PIC stated that he was flying at around 300 feet AGL during the site seeing when the engine quit and he realized that he had forgot that he had only the right tank selected, he then stated that he switched the fuel selector to both, turned on the boost pump and attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful and the aircraft was losing altitude much faster that he had expected and was unable to attempt an additional restart. He then looked to see if he could find a place to land but his only options were the Mississippi river or a heavily wooded area. The PIC decided to land the aircraft in the woods. He flew the aircraft into the smallest trees he could see, he then stated that he "kicked it over" to avoid hitting a very large tree in his path. After the aircraft stopped the pilot rotated the fuel selector to off and exited the aircraft he then shut off the ELT, then walked out to the highway approximatively 100 yards away. The pilot was uninjured and the aircraft received substantial damage.
As the FAA filed it
2022-10-07 ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ZENITH CH-750 LIBBY, MN. ON THE RETURN TRIP FROM AITKIN, MN (KAIT) TO MCGREGOR, MN (KHZX) THE PIC DECIDED THAT HE WOULD DO SOME SITE SEEING NEAR HIS CHILDHOOD HOME IN PALISADE, MN. THE PIC STATED THAT AS HE WAS FLYING HE NOTICED THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS AT AROUND 1/4 TANK AND THAT HE ESTIMATED THAT IT HAD 3 TO 4 GALLONS OF FUEL LEFT WHILE THE RIGHT TANK WAS AT OR NEAR 3/4 TANK AND THAT THERE WAS APPROXIMATELY 7 TO 8 GALLONS LEFT SO HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR THE RIGHT TANK ONLY TO CORRECT THE IMBALANCE. THE PIC STATED THAT AS A RESULT OF THE LOCATION OF THE IPAD ON THE GLARE SHIELD HE WAS UNABLE TO GET A CLEAR VIEW OF THE RIGHT FUEL GAUGE AND FORGOT THAT HE HAD THE RIGHT FUEL TANK ONLY SELECTED, THE PIC ALSO STATED THAT HE DID NOT HAVE A CLOCK ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT THAT MAY HAVE PROMPTED HIM TO KEEP A CLOSER EYE ON THE REMAINING FUEL IN THE RIGHT WING.
THE PIC STATED THAT HE WAS FLYING AT AROUND 300 FEET AGL DURING THE SITE SEEING WHEN THE ENGINE QUIT AND HE REALIZED THAT HE HAD FORGOT THAT HE HAD ONLY THE RIGHT TANK SELECTED, HE THEN STATED THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO BOTH, TURNED ON THE BOOST PUMP AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING ALTITUDE MUCH FASTER THAT HE HAD EXPECTED AND WAS UNABLE TO ATTEMPT AN ADDITIONAL RESTART. HE THEN LOOKED TO SEE IF HE COULD FIND A PLACE TO LAND BUT HIS ONLY OPTIONS WERE THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER OR A HEAVILY WOODED AREA. THE PIC DECIDED TO LAND THE AIRCRAFT IN THE WOODS. HE FLEW THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE SMALLEST TREES HE COULD SEE, HE THEN STATED THAT HE "KICKED IT OVER" TO AVOID HITTING A VERY LARGE TREE IN HIS PATH. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT STOPPED THE PILOT ROTATED THE FUEL SELECTOR TO OFF AND EXITED THE AIRCRAFT HE THEN SHUT OFF THE ELT, THEN WALKED OUT TO THE HIGHWAY APPROXIMATIVELY 100 YARDS AWAY. THE PILOT WAS UNINJURED AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.