What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On Sunday, March 9, 2025 at approximately 2100 CDT, the PIC was preparing a for flight, refueled, stating fuel levels were then close to full on both (29 in left and 27.5 in right).
The PIC taxied and performed run-up. He departed his base of origin. During this flight, he set a timer and was switching tanks every 20-25 minutes. Once he arrived at his destination airport, he informed approach of his intentions to do a few full stop landings and take offs in the pattern. The PIC landed for the first time, taxied off the runway and back to hold short. He performed a couple checks of magnetos and gauges. After being cleared for takeoff he repeated this practice cycle. He landed and taxied off the runway and taxied back to hold short. He again performed checks of the magneto and gauges and everything looked normal to the PIC.
At approximately 2200, the PIC again departed, noting the gauges and engine activity were normal. He stated that he remembered looking at the altimeter at one point about 650 feet. Shortly after that, the engine died. The PIC said he doesn't remember exactly what it did, but he recalls no sputtering or other abnormal sounds coming from the engine before he heard a "click, click" and the aircraft lost power.
The PIC immediately attempted a failed restart. The PIC called the tower and let them know he lost his engine power. He put the fuel selector to neither tank and turned off the magnetos and fuel boost.
The PIC remained in his seat to take account of the situation and any injuries he might have sustained. He could feel something hurt on his neck and felt blood on his forehead, but no serious pain beyond that. The property owner arrived approximately five minutes after the crash and took the PIC to where an ambulance was waiting.
As the FAA filed it
ON SUNDAY, MARCH 9, 2025 AT APPROXIMATELY 2100 CDT, THE PIC WAS PREPARING A FOR FLIGHT, REFUELED, STATING FUEL LEVELS WERE THEN CLOSE TO FULL ON BOTH (29 IN LEFT AND 27.5 IN RIGHT).
THE PIC TAXIED AND PERFORMED RUN-UP. HE DEPARTED HIS BASE OF ORIGIN. DURING THIS FLIGHT, HE SET A TIMER AND WAS SWITCHING TANKS EVERY 20-25 MINUTES. ONCE HE ARRIVED AT HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT, HE INFORMED APPROACH OF HIS INTENTIONS TO DO A FEW FULL STOP LANDINGS AND TAKE OFFS IN THE PATTERN. THE PIC LANDED FOR THE FIRST TIME, TAXIED OFF THE RUNWAY AND BACK TO HOLD SHORT. HE PERFORMED A COUPLE CHECKS OF MAGNETOS AND GAUGES. AFTER BEING CLEARED FOR TAKEOFF HE REPEATED THIS PRACTICE CYCLE. HE LANDED AND TAXIED OFF THE RUNWAY AND TAXIED BACK TO HOLD SHORT. HE AGAIN PERFORMED CHECKS OF THE MAGNETO AND GAUGES AND EVERYTHING LOOKED NORMAL TO THE PIC.
AT APPROXIMATELY 2200, THE PIC AGAIN DEPARTED, NOTING THE GAUGES AND ENGINE ACTIVITY WERE NORMAL. HE STATED THAT HE REMEMBERED LOOKING AT THE ALTIMETER AT ONE POINT ABOUT 650 FEET. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ENGINE DIED. THE PIC SAID HE DOESN'T REMEMBER EXACTLY WHAT IT DID, BUT HE RECALLS NO SPUTTERING OR OTHER ABNORMAL SOUNDS COMING FROM THE ENGINE BEFORE HE HEARD A "CLICK, CLICK" AND THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER.
THE PIC IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED A FAILED RESTART. THE PIC CALLED THE TOWER AND LET THEM KNOW HE LOST HIS ENGINE POWER. HE PUT THE FUEL SELECTOR TO NEITHER TANK AND TURNED OFF THE MAGNETOS AND FUEL BOOST.
THE PIC REMAINED IN HIS SEAT TO TAKE ACCOUNT OF THE SITUATION AND ANY INJURIES HE MIGHT HAVE SUSTAINED. HE COULD FEEL SOMETHING HURT ON HIS NECK AND FELT BLOOD ON HIS FOREHEAD, BUT NO SERIOUS PAIN BEYOND THAT. THE PROPERTY OWNER ARRIVED APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AFTER THE CRASH AND TOOK THE PIC TO WHERE AN AMBULANCE WAS WAITING.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.