What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On 01/29/2024, the aircraft being operated as a private flight the pilot reported that after performing a preflight inspection and run-up per the checklist, he and his passenger departed gky arlington municipal airport at approximately 7:50 pm, bound for ggg east Texas regional airport for a routine time-building flight. Both the left and right fuel tanks were full to maximum capacity at takeoff.
Upon arrival at ggg east Texas regional airport, they landed, came to a full stop, and proceeded to back-taxi for another takeoff to their destination, trl Terrell municipal airport. After landing at trl, they came to a full stop and attempted to refuel the aircraft. However, the fuel pumps were out of order, so they verified the remaining fuel with a fuel stick. The right-hand side fuel tank measured in at 4 gallons, and the left-hand side fuel tank measured in at a little above 12 gallons.
After re-starting the engine, they noticed the aircraft had a rough idle and then continued to taxi to perform the run-up before takeoff per the checklist. As he attempted to take off to fly to destination hqz mesquite metro airport to refuel the aircraft, the engine failed shortly after takeoff at about 400 to 450 feet above ground level. He attempted to restart the engine and was successful; however, it immediately stopped running again.
The pilot then executed an emergency landing with the intent of landing on a nearby street that was visible from the air with the best lighting conditions. During the attempt, he recalls the right wing of the aircraft being struck by something, followed by a crash landing. The incident happened so fast that he can’t recall exactly what it was that was hit.
After landing, both the pilot and copilot sustained minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
ON 01/29/2024, THE AIRCRAFT BEING OPERATED AS A PRIVATE FLIGHT THE PILOT REPORTED THAT AFTER PERFORMING A PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND RUN-UP PER THE CHECKLIST, HE AND HIS PASSENGER DEPARTED GKY ARLINGTON MUNICIPAL AIRPORT AT APPROXIMATELY 7:50 PM, BOUND FOR GGG EAST TEXAS REGIONAL AIRPORT FOR A ROUTINE TIME-BUILDING FLIGHT. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL TANKS WERE FULL TO MAXIMUM CAPACITY AT TAKEOFF.
UPON ARRIVAL AT GGG EAST TEXAS REGIONAL AIRPORT, THEY LANDED, CAME TO A FULL STOP, AND PROCEEDED TO BACK-TAXI FOR ANOTHER TAKEOFF TO THEIR DESTINATION, TRL TERRELL MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. AFTER LANDING AT TRL, THEY CAME TO A FULL STOP AND ATTEMPTED TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT. HOWEVER, THE FUEL PUMPS WERE OUT OF ORDER, SO THEY VERIFIED THE REMAINING FUEL WITH A FUEL STICK. THE RIGHT-HAND SIDE FUEL TANK MEASURED IN AT 4 GALLONS, AND THE LEFT-HAND SIDE FUEL TANK MEASURED IN AT A LITTLE ABOVE 12 GALLONS.
AFTER RE-STARTING THE ENGINE, THEY NOTICED THE AIRCRAFT HAD A ROUGH IDLE AND THEN CONTINUED TO TAXI TO PERFORM THE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF PER THE CHECKLIST. AS HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE OFF TO FLY TO DESTINATION HQZ MESQUITE METRO AIRPORT TO REFUEL THE AIRCRAFT, THE ENGINE FAILED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 400 TO 450 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. HE ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AND WAS SUCCESSFUL; HOWEVER, IT IMMEDIATELY STOPPED RUNNING AGAIN.
THE PILOT THEN EXECUTED AN EMERGENCY LANDING WITH THE INTENT OF LANDING ON A NEARBY STREET THAT WAS VISIBLE FROM THE AIR WITH THE BEST LIGHTING CONDITIONS. DURING THE ATTEMPT, HE RECALLS THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRCRAFT BEING STRUCK BY SOMETHING, FOLLOWED BY A CRASH LANDING. THE INCIDENT HAPPENED SO FAST THAT HE CAN’T RECALL EXACTLY WHAT IT WAS THAT WAS HIT.
AFTER LANDING, BOTH THE PILOT AND COPILOT SUSTAINED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.
Other reports on N8805Z · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.