What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot stated the aircraft was returning to fxe from cdk. At 7000' feet after 1 hour 47 minutes into the flight, pilot stated aircraft engine dropped to between 1000-1200 RPM would not increase RPM and declared an emeregency and partial power. Aircraft emergency procedures were performed and mixture was increased, boost pumps turned on, fuel selectors checked and turned carb heat on. RPM rose to 2000 but within 2 seconds fell back to 1000-1200 RPM. After a minute of no change in engine performance, emergency procedure for engine flooding (fuel) was performed with no change. Aircraft performed an emergency landing in a sugar cane field outside of Moore Haven, FL (26.8797 -81.1303) 10/3-2024 at 15:09 EST.
Inspected the fuel tanks of the aircraft. Pilot stated, wing aux tip tanks were never filled for the flight and had no fuel to sump. Checked both l/h and r/h wing main tanks that hold a capacity of 30 gallons each (tcds confirmed). Visually did not see fuel in the tank(s) or odor of fuel. Checked fuel selectors and observed selected to left and right main tanks. Noted engine oil stick indicated 10 quarts present. Aircrafts three bladed prop had one blade bent aft with no rotation marks noted on any blades. Main fuel sump located at bottom of the fuselage found undamaged with no fuel present. No visual signs of leaking fuel on aircraft. Suspect aircraft ran out of fuel.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS RETURNING TO FXE FROM CDK. AT 7000' FEET AFTER 1 HOUR 47 MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, PILOT STATED AIRCRAFT ENGINE DROPPED TO BETWEEN 1000-1200 RPM WOULD NOT INCREASE RPM AND DECLARED AN EMEREGENCY AND PARTIAL POWER. AIRCRAFT EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WERE PERFORMED AND MIXTURE WAS INCREASED, BOOST PUMPS TURNED ON, FUEL SELECTORS CHECKED AND TURNED CARB HEAT ON. RPM ROSE TO 2000 BUT WITHIN 2 SECONDS FELL BACK TO 1000-1200 RPM. AFTER A MINUTE OF NO CHANGE IN ENGINE PERFORMANCE, EMERGENCY PROCEDURE FOR ENGINE FLOODING (FUEL) WAS PERFORMED WITH NO CHANGE. AIRCRAFT PERFORMED AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A SUGAR CANE FIELD OUTSIDE OF MOORE HAVEN, FL (26.8797 -81.1303) 10/3-2024 AT 15:09 EST.
INSPECTED THE FUEL TANKS OF THE AIRCRAFT. PILOT STATED, WING AUX TIP TANKS WERE NEVER FILLED FOR THE FLIGHT AND HAD NO FUEL TO SUMP. CHECKED BOTH L/H AND R/H WING MAIN TANKS THAT HOLD A CAPACITY OF 30 GALLONS EACH (TCDS CONFIRMED). VISUALLY DID NOT SEE FUEL IN THE TANK(S) OR ODOR OF FUEL. CHECKED FUEL SELECTORS AND OBSERVED SELECTED TO LEFT AND RIGHT MAIN TANKS. NOTED ENGINE OIL STICK INDICATED 10 QUARTS PRESENT. AIRCRAFTS THREE BLADED PROP HAD ONE BLADE BENT AFT WITH NO ROTATION MARKS NOTED ON ANY BLADES. MAIN FUEL SUMP LOCATED AT BOTTOM OF THE FUSELAGE FOUND UNDAMAGED WITH NO FUEL PRESENT. NO VISUAL SIGNS OF LEAKING FUEL ON AIRCRAFT. SUSPECT AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.