What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
The pilot descended to 7,200 MSL from kayep to fivub to practice GPS approach procedures under VFR. After performing the pre-landing checklist, the pilot lowered the landing gear and switched the tank selector from the left tank to the right for the approach and landing. About 10 seconds later, the engine failed.
The pilot immediately switched back to the left tank, checked the mixture, and established a glide, but the engine did not respond. The electric boost pump was turned on for five seconds, but there was still no response. The pilot then switched back to the right tank and attempted to restart the engine again, but it remained unresponsive.
Both tanks were full during preflight, with sump samples taken. At the time of the engine failure, the jpi 930 with ceis fuel senders indicated 12 gallons in the left tank and 22 gallons in the right. The pilot identified a landing zone, extended the flaps, and retracted the landing gear due to the terrain and vegetation.
Fortunately, a small brush-clear area between two arroyos was located 5.1 miles from P33. The pilot executed a smooth touchdown with enough speed to avoid a stall. The aircraft came to a stop and rotated 90 degrees to the right, coming to rest against a mesquite bush approximately 260 feet from touchdown.
As the FAA filed it
THE PILOT DESCENDED TO 7,200 MSL FROM KAYEP TO FIVUB TO PRACTICE GPS APPROACH PROCEDURES UNDER VFR. AFTER PERFORMING THE PRE-LANDING CHECKLIST, THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND SWITCHED THE TANK SELECTOR FROM THE LEFT TANK TO THE RIGHT FOR THE APPROACH AND LANDING. ABOUT 10 SECONDS LATER, THE ENGINE FAILED.
THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY SWITCHED BACK TO THE LEFT TANK, CHECKED THE MIXTURE, AND ESTABLISHED A GLIDE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. THE ELECTRIC BOOST PUMP WAS TURNED ON FOR FIVE SECONDS, BUT THERE WAS STILL NO RESPONSE. THE PILOT THEN SWITCHED BACK TO THE RIGHT TANK AND ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE ENGINE AGAIN, BUT IT REMAINED UNRESPONSIVE.
BOTH TANKS WERE FULL DURING PREFLIGHT, WITH SUMP SAMPLES TAKEN. AT THE TIME OF THE ENGINE FAILURE, THE JPI 930 WITH CEIS FUEL SENDERS INDICATED 12 GALLONS IN THE LEFT TANK AND 22 GALLONS IN THE RIGHT. THE PILOT IDENTIFIED A LANDING ZONE, EXTENDED THE FLAPS, AND RETRACTED THE LANDING GEAR DUE TO THE TERRAIN AND VEGETATION.
FORTUNATELY, A SMALL BRUSH-CLEAR AREA BETWEEN TWO ARROYOS WAS LOCATED 5.1 MILES FROM P33. THE PILOT EXECUTED A SMOOTH TOUCHDOWN WITH ENOUGH SPEED TO AVOID A STALL. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP AND ROTATED 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT, COMING TO REST AGAINST A MESQUITE BUSH APPROXIMATELY 260 FEET FROM TOUCHDOWN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.