What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 29, 2025, an aircraft reportedly made an emergency landing in a field near Dewitt Spain airport (M01). On June 30, another inspector and I arrived to investigate the scene. We found the aircraft at the bottom of a water runoff area beyond the south end of the runway, with its nose landing gear collapsed beneath it. By analyzing the field and identifying the aircraft's entry point, we clearly identified where it first hit the ground. Our inspection revealed that the engine wasn't producing power, as indicated by the minimal damage to the propeller. We also discovered that the left fuel tank was empty, while the right one contained 13 gallons of fuel. There were multiple signs of fuel leakage on the flight control surfaces atop the left wing and underneath the wing near the left main landing gear. During the inspection, we found the left sump drain valve locked in the open position, which would allow fuel to drain from the left tank. After relocating the aircraft from the field, we thoroughly inspected the left sump valve with a borescope and found no evidence of foreign objects or defects causing it to remain open. We tested the valve's functionality by adding fuel and confirmed it operated correctly. We also checked the right wing's fuel sump valve and found no issues. When we opened the engine strainer sump valve, we found no fuel present. Considering the aircraft's elevated tail position after landing and discussing the situation with the other inspector, we believe that there should have been some fuel found in the left tank unless the sump was open before the flight
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 29, 2025, AN AIRCRAFT REPORTEDLY MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING IN A FIELD NEAR DEWITT SPAIN AIRPORT (M01). ON JUNE 30, ANOTHER INSPECTOR AND I ARRIVED TO INVESTIGATE THE SCENE. WE FOUND THE AIRCRAFT AT THE BOTTOM OF A WATER RUNOFF AREA BEYOND THE SOUTH END OF THE RUNWAY, WITH ITS NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED BENEATH IT. BY ANALYZING THE FIELD AND IDENTIFYING THE AIRCRAFT'S ENTRY POINT, WE CLEARLY IDENTIFIED WHERE IT FIRST HIT THE GROUND. OUR INSPECTION REVEALED THAT THE ENGINE WASN'T PRODUCING POWER, AS INDICATED BY THE MINIMAL DAMAGE TO THE PROPELLER. WE ALSO DISCOVERED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY, WHILE THE RIGHT ONE CONTAINED 13 GALLONS OF FUEL. THERE WERE MULTIPLE SIGNS OF FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE FLIGHT CONTROL SURFACES ATOP THE LEFT WING AND UNDERNEATH THE WING NEAR THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR. DURING THE INSPECTION, WE FOUND THE LEFT SUMP DRAIN VALVE LOCKED IN THE OPEN POSITION, WHICH WOULD ALLOW FUEL TO DRAIN FROM THE LEFT TANK. AFTER RELOCATING THE AIRCRAFT FROM THE FIELD, WE THOROUGHLY INSPECTED THE LEFT SUMP VALVE WITH A BORESCOPE AND FOUND NO EVIDENCE OF FOREIGN OBJECTS OR DEFECTS CAUSING IT TO REMAIN OPEN. WE TESTED THE VALVE'S FUNCTIONALITY BY ADDING FUEL AND CONFIRMED IT OPERATED CORRECTLY. WE ALSO CHECKED THE RIGHT WING'S FUEL SUMP VALVE AND FOUND NO ISSUES. WHEN WE OPENED THE ENGINE STRAINER SUMP VALVE, WE FOUND NO FUEL PRESENT. CONSIDERING THE AIRCRAFT'S ELEVATED TAIL POSITION AFTER LANDING AND DISCUSSING THE SITUATION WITH THE OTHER INSPECTOR, WE BELIEVE THAT THERE SHOULD HAVE BEEN SOME FUEL FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK UNLESS THE SUMP WAS OPEN BEFORE THE FLIGHT