What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
PIC rented aircraft at falcon field with intent to fly to san carlos. Aircraft was pre-flighted with tanks filled to “tabs” or 17 gallon a side with 1 gallon being unusable on each side. While en-route the PIC decided weather was not good for the intended destination. The PIC decided to fly around phoenix metro area counterclockwise and head to gila bend municipal airport to do approaches and use the restroom. When the PIC spoke with controller, the PIC was informed that the airport was closed for a special racing event. The PIC then decided to fly to ryan airfield at that point. After arriving and taking a break, the PIC began the flight back to falcon field. No additional fuel was put in aircraft. While approximately over the Gold Canyon area, the PIC reported that the engine began sputtering. PIC did not switch on the boost pumps. PIC stated that he just switched tanks 10 minutes prior, so he did not try that either. The PIC did try changing throttle, mixture and switching mags as suggested by nearby pilots that heard the mayday. Not being able to maintain power, the PIC elected to perform an off-airport gear up landing on a road next to highway 60.
A review of the aircraft and maintenance records did not reveal anything that would attribute to the power loss. The aircraft was unable to be run due to prop damage. The company that recovered the aircraft stated that they drained 0 gallons from the right tank and approximately 7 gallons from the left tank prior to removing the wings. Fuel selector was removed by recovery team, so the position was not able to be factually determined. PIC stated he believed the left tank was selected. This inspector validated that gila municipal had an active NOTAM for being closed. Also validated that no fuel was purchased that day for the aircraft at falcon field or ryan municipal airport. Flight aware shows the 2 flights being approximately 2.5 hours. Pilot stated flight time based on hobbs meter was 2.9 hours. The PIC stated he believed he should have had 3.5 hours of flight time with fuel on board. Based on aircraft average fuel consumption. The most likely cause of the engine power loss was fuel starvation.
Based on the pic’s preflight planning and decision making while inflight, the decision was made to offer remedial training to the PIC. PIC has elected to accept this offer.
As the FAA filed it
PIC RENTED AIRCRAFT AT FALCON FIELD WITH INTENT TO FLY TO SAN CARLOS. AIRCRAFT WAS PRE-FLIGHTED WITH TANKS FILLED TO “TABS” OR 17 GALLON A SIDE WITH 1 GALLON BEING UNUSABLE ON EACH SIDE. WHILE EN-ROUTE THE PIC DECIDED WEATHER WAS NOT GOOD FOR THE INTENDED DESTINATION. THE PIC DECIDED TO FLY AROUND PHOENIX METRO AREA COUNTERCLOCKWISE AND HEAD TO GILA BEND MUNICIPAL AIRPORT TO DO APPROACHES AND USE THE RESTROOM. WHEN THE PIC SPOKE WITH CONTROLLER, THE PIC WAS INFORMED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED FOR A SPECIAL RACING EVENT. THE PIC THEN DECIDED TO FLY TO RYAN AIRFIELD AT THAT POINT. AFTER ARRIVING AND TAKING A BREAK, THE PIC BEGAN THE FLIGHT BACK TO FALCON FIELD. NO ADDITIONAL FUEL WAS PUT IN AIRCRAFT. WHILE APPROXIMATELY OVER THE GOLD CANYON AREA, THE PIC REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN SPUTTERING. PIC DID NOT SWITCH ON THE BOOST PUMPS. PIC STATED THAT HE JUST SWITCHED TANKS 10 MINUTES PRIOR, SO HE DID NOT TRY THAT EITHER. THE PIC DID TRY CHANGING THROTTLE, MIXTURE AND SWITCHING MAGS AS SUGGESTED BY NEARBY PILOTS THAT HEARD THE MAYDAY. NOT BEING ABLE TO MAINTAIN POWER, THE PIC ELECTED TO PERFORM AN OFF-AIRPORT GEAR UP LANDING ON A ROAD NEXT TO HIGHWAY 60.
A REVIEW OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MAINTENANCE RECORDS DID NOT REVEAL ANYTHING THAT WOULD ATTRIBUTE TO THE POWER LOSS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO BE RUN DUE TO PROP DAMAGE. THE COMPANY THAT RECOVERED THE AIRCRAFT STATED THAT THEY DRAINED 0 GALLONS FROM THE RIGHT TANK AND APPROXIMATELY 7 GALLONS FROM THE LEFT TANK PRIOR TO REMOVING THE WINGS. FUEL SELECTOR WAS REMOVED BY RECOVERY TEAM, SO THE POSITION WAS NOT ABLE TO BE FACTUALLY DETERMINED. PIC STATED HE BELIEVED THE LEFT TANK WAS SELECTED. THIS INSPECTOR VALIDATED THAT GILA MUNICIPAL HAD AN ACTIVE NOTAM FOR BEING CLOSED. ALSO VALIDATED THAT NO FUEL WAS PURCHASED THAT DAY FOR THE AIRCRAFT AT FALCON FIELD OR RYAN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT. FLIGHT AWARE SHOWS THE 2 FLIGHTS BEING APPROXIMATELY 2.5 HOURS. PILOT STATED FLIGHT TIME BASED ON HOBBS METER WAS 2.9 HOURS. THE PIC STATED HE BELIEVED HE SHOULD HAVE HAD 3.5 HOURS OF FLIGHT TIME WITH FUEL ON BOARD. BASED ON AIRCRAFT AVERAGE FUEL CONSUMPTION. THE MOST LIKELY CAUSE OF THE ENGINE POWER LOSS WAS FUEL STARVATION.
BASED ON THE PIC’S PREFLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING WHILE INFLIGHT, THE DECISION WAS MADE TO OFFER REMEDIAL TRAINING TO THE PIC. PIC HAS ELECTED TO ACCEPT THIS OFFER.