What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft landed in a field. (.4)the pilot stated that he originally planned a direct flight at 11,500 feet, but had to descend to 1,500 feet to avoid weather for 10 to 15 minutes, then he climbed back to 11,500 feet. He said this accounted for his arrival in the vicinity of the destination airport with a low fuel level. When he contacted the control tower at the destination airport, he declared 'minimum fuel' but did not declare an emergency. There were approximately 20 other airplanes on the frequency. The pilot was cleared straight-in to the landing runway; however, the engine lost power, and the airplane was landed about three-quarters of a mile short of the intended runway. The pilot said that in order to avoid other aircraft during the approach, he slowed his airplane by lowering the flaps, which he said prevented him from reaching the runway. During a subsequent postaccident examination of the airplane, no mechanical anomaly was found. (-23) on 08/01/96 at approximately 1610 hours aircraft crash landed in soybean field approximately 3/4 mile short of runway 36 at fdl. Investigation revealed substantial damage to the aircraft. VFR conditions prevailed at the time. No flight plan was filed. Investigation revealed o fuel in either left or right fuel tanks.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A FIELD. (.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE ORIGINALLY PLANNED A DIRECT FLIGHT AT 11,500 FEET, BUT HAD TO DESCEND TO 1,500 FEET TO AVOID WEATHER FOR 10 TO 15 MINUTES, THEN HE CLIMBED BACK TO 11,500 FEET. HE SAID THIS ACCOUNTED FOR HIS ARRIVAL IN THE VICINITY OF THE DESTINATION AIRPORT WITH A LOW FUEL LEVEL. WHEN HE CONTACTED THE CONTROL TOWER AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT, HE DECLARED 'MINIMUM FUEL' BUT DID NOT DECLARE AN EMERGENCY. THERE WERE APPROXIMATELY 20 OTHER AIRPLANES ON THE FREQUENCY. THE PILOT WAS CLEARED STRAIGHT-IN TO THE LANDING RUNWAY; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED ABOUT THREE-QUARTERS OF A MILE SHORT OF THE INTENDED RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THAT IN ORDER TO AVOID OTHER AIRCRAFT DURING THE APPROACH, HE SLOWED HIS AIRPLANE BY LOWERING THE FLAPS, WHICH HE SAID PREVENTED HIM FROM REACHING THE RUNWAY. DURING A SUBSEQUENT POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE, NO MECHANICAL ANOMALY WAS FOUND. (-23) ON 08/01/96 AT APPROXIMATELY 1610 HOURS AIRCRAFT CRASH LANDED IN SOYBEAN FIELD APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY 36 AT FDL. INVESTIGATION REVEALED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. VFR CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED O FUEL IN EITHER LEFT OR RIGHT FUEL TANKS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.