What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On November 6, 2024, the subject aircraft was involved in an accident which involved a forced landing approximately ¼ mile short of the turf runway at East Troy, Wisconsin (57C). The aircraft sustained substantial structural damage to the wings, fuselage, propeller, left and right landing gear. The pilot was the lone occupant and sustained a minor injury.
The pilot reported that he experienced engine problems about 40 minutes into flight in VMC conditions. While on final approach, approximately ½ mile out from the runway, the engine throttle control authority was limited at low power settings. He observed the left fuel quantity to be 3 gallons left and 2 gallons right, then switched the fuel selector valve from the left fuel tank to right with no change in throttle response. Approximately ¼ mile out from the runway and 300 feet above ground, the engine power reduced to zero. The pilot landed in an open field about 400 feet short of the runway.
Analysis of the pilot statements and post-accident inspection findings indicated that the pilot’s fuel planning due to an inaccurate left fuel quantity indicator, inaccurate fuel consumption data, and advanced engine wear resulted in fuel supply exhaustion or interruption and resultant loss of engine power.
The pilot expressed his opinion that the aircraft fuel selector valve location delayed his reaction time to this inflight incident, explaining that he was unable to reach the valve without slackening his shoulder harness restraints. He recommended that the location and proximity of this component be evaluated for safety considerations.
This report may be amended as additional information becomes available.
As the FAA filed it
ON NOVEMBER 6, 2024, THE SUBJECT AIRCRAFT WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WHICH INVOLVED A FORCED LANDING APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE SHORT OF THE TURF RUNWAY AT EAST TROY, WISCONSIN (57C). THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE WINGS, FUSELAGE, PROPELLER, LEFT AND RIGHT LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT WAS THE LONE OCCUPANT AND SUSTAINED A MINOR INJURY.
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE EXPERIENCED ENGINE PROBLEMS ABOUT 40 MINUTES INTO FLIGHT IN VMC CONDITIONS. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, APPROXIMATELY ½ MILE OUT FROM THE RUNWAY, THE ENGINE THROTTLE CONTROL AUTHORITY WAS LIMITED AT LOW POWER SETTINGS. HE OBSERVED THE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY TO BE 3 GALLONS LEFT AND 2 GALLONS RIGHT, THEN SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK TO RIGHT WITH NO CHANGE IN THROTTLE RESPONSE. APPROXIMATELY ¼ MILE OUT FROM THE RUNWAY AND 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND, THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED TO ZERO. THE PILOT LANDED IN AN OPEN FIELD ABOUT 400 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
ANALYSIS OF THE PILOT STATEMENTS AND POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION FINDINGS INDICATED THAT THE PILOT’S FUEL PLANNING DUE TO AN INACCURATE LEFT FUEL QUANTITY INDICATOR, INACCURATE FUEL CONSUMPTION DATA, AND ADVANCED ENGINE WEAR RESULTED IN FUEL SUPPLY EXHAUSTION OR INTERRUPTION AND RESULTANT LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
THE PILOT EXPRESSED HIS OPINION THAT THE AIRCRAFT FUEL SELECTOR VALVE LOCATION DELAYED HIS REACTION TIME TO THIS INFLIGHT INCIDENT, EXPLAINING THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO REACH THE VALVE WITHOUT SLACKENING HIS SHOULDER HARNESS RESTRAINTS. HE RECOMMENDED THAT THE LOCATION AND PROXIMITY OF THIS COMPONENT BE EVALUATED FOR SAFETY CONSIDERATIONS.
THIS REPORT MAY BE AMENDED AS ADDITIONAL INFORMATION BECOMES AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.