What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
According to the pilot’s statement, while at a cruise altitude the pilot switched from one fuel tank to the other. Shortly after that he had a sudden stoppage of the engine. He noted that the engine gauges were going blank, and the autopilot was trying to hold the altitude. The pilot disconnected the autopilot and established a glide speed and begin to search for an appropriate landing site. The pilot then announced the may day with the lexington ATC. The pilot begin to navigate towards Capital City Airport, in order to extend the glide further the pilot determined it best to leave the gear retracted. While on the downwind the pilot felt the further the throttle went forward the faster, he would decent. Due to this fact, the pilot found it was best to land in the grass with the gear left in the retracted position. After the aircraft had come to a halt, the pilot turned the fuel flow off to minimize the risk of fire.
As the FAA filed it
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT’S STATEMENT, WHILE AT A CRUISE ALTITUDE THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM ONE FUEL TANK TO THE OTHER. SHORTLY AFTER THAT HE HAD A SUDDEN STOPPAGE OF THE ENGINE. HE NOTED THAT THE ENGINE GAUGES WERE GOING BLANK, AND THE AUTOPILOT WAS TRYING TO HOLD THE ALTITUDE. THE PILOT DISCONNECTED THE AUTOPILOT AND ESTABLISHED A GLIDE SPEED AND BEGIN TO SEARCH FOR AN APPROPRIATE LANDING SITE. THE PILOT THEN ANNOUNCED THE MAY DAY WITH THE LEXINGTON ATC. THE PILOT BEGIN TO NAVIGATE TOWARDS CAPITAL CITY AIRPORT, IN ORDER TO EXTEND THE GLIDE FURTHER THE PILOT DETERMINED IT BEST TO LEAVE THE GEAR RETRACTED. WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND THE PILOT FELT THE FURTHER THE THROTTLE WENT FORWARD THE FASTER, HE WOULD DECENT. DUE TO THIS FACT, THE PILOT FOUND IT WAS BEST TO LAND IN THE GRASS WITH THE GEAR LEFT IN THE RETRACTED POSITION. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HAD COME TO A HALT, THE PILOT TURNED THE FUEL FLOW OFF TO MINIMIZE THE RISK OF FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.