What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed in a field, ran out of fuel. (-23) 12/14/96 aircraft departed greenville, SC VFR enroute to leesburg, VA. Six people on board. Pilot elected not to top off with fuel at greenville due to the weight and balance consideration. (4) a planned fuel stop was discussed prior to departuree, however due to headwinds and the pilots miscalculation of total fuel on board, the aircraft lost power and landed 1/2 mile short of Charlottesville airport. On scene investigation showed no fuel in any tank. A 709 ride is anticipated. Minor bruises were the only injuries. The aircraft landing gear and fuselage were damaged. (3 & 9) a fuel gauge on the right hand side was replaced on October 14, 1996, however it was calibrated to the empty side and returned to service by a certificated mechanic. The mechanic made an entry stating the gauge was not calibrated and the pilot was aware of the fuel gauge error. (.19) on December 14, 1996, about 1358 eastern standard time, a Cessna T210M, N1929M, was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landed near Charlottesville, Virginia. The certificated private pilot and two passenger were not injured; three passengers r eceived minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed greenville, south carolina, destined for leesburg, Virginia, and conducted under 14 CFR part 91. According to the pilot, while en route at 11,500 feet MSL, he encountered "severe" headwinds and decided to divert to Charlottesville to refuel because "I don't ever like going below 10 gallons per side." The pilot reported that 2 to 3 minutes into his descent for Charlottesville, the engine lost power. He switched from the left to right fuel tank and power was restored; however, at 4,500 feet MSL, a second loss of power occurred. Unable to glide to the airport, the pilot executed a forced landing to a cow pasture, about 1 mile short of the airport. FAA examination of the airplane revealed the fuel tanks were empty. The pilot reported the accident could have been prevented by "proper fuel calculating along with a fuel computer installed because of the frequency-distances-complexity of the average mission." (.4) while en route at 11,500 feet MSL, the pilot encountered 'severe' headwinds and decided to divert to Charlottesville to refuel. About 2 to 3 minutes into his descent fo r Charlottesville, the engine lost power. The pilot switched from the left to right fuel tank and power was restored; however, later at 4,500 feet MSL, a second power loss occurred. Unable to glide to the airport, the pilot executed a forced landing to a cow pasture, about 1 mile short the airport. FAA examination of the airplane revealed both fuel tanks were empty. The pilot reported the accident could have been prevented by 'proper fuel calculating along with a fuel computer installed, because of the frequency-distances-complexity of the average mission.'
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED IN A FIELD, RAN OUT OF FUEL. (-23) 12/14/96 AIRCRAFT DEPARTED GREENVILLE, SC VFR ENROUTE TO LEESBURG, VA. SIX PEOPLE ON BOARD. PILOT ELECTED NOT TO TOP OFF WITH FUEL AT GREENVILLE DUE TO THE WEIGHT AND BALANCE CONSIDERATION. (4) A PLANNED FUEL STOP WAS DISCUSSED PRIOR TO DEPARTUREE, HOWEVER DUE TO HEADWINDS AND THE PILOTS MISCALCULATION OF TOTAL FUEL ON BOARD, THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER AND LANDED 1/2 MILE SHORT OF CHARLOTTESVILLE AIRPORT. ON SCENE INVESTIGATION SHOWED NO FUEL IN ANY TANK. A 709 RIDE IS ANTICIPATED. MINOR BRUISES WERE THE ONLY INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT LANDING GEAR AND FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. (3 & 9) A FUEL GAUGE ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE WAS REPLACED ON OCTOBER 14, 1996, HOWEVER IT WAS CALIBRATED TO THE EMPTY SIDE AND RETURNED TO SERVICE BY A CERTIFICATED MECHANIC. THE MECHANIC MADE AN ENTRY STATING THE GAUGE WAS NOT CALIBRATED AND THE PILOT WAS AWARE OF THE FUEL GAUGE ERROR. (.19) ON DECEMBER 14, 1996, ABOUT 1358 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA T210M, N1929M, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN DURING A FORCED LANDED NEAR CHARLOTTESVILLE, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED; THREE PASSENGERS R ECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT THAT DEPARTED GREENVILLE, SOUTH CAROLINA, DESTINED FOR LEESBURG, VIRGINIA, AND CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, WHILE EN ROUTE AT 11,500 FEET MSL, HE ENCOUNTERED "SEVERE" HEADWINDS AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO CHARLOTTESVILLE TO REFUEL BECAUSE "I DON'T EVER LIKE GOING BELOW 10 GALLONS PER SIDE." THE PILOT REPORTED THAT 2 TO 3 MINUTES INTO HIS DESCENT FOR CHARLOTTESVILLE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT FUEL TANK AND POWER WAS RESTORED; HOWEVER, AT 4,500 FEET MSL, A SECOND LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COW PASTURE, ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT OF THE AIRPORT. FAA EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY "PROPER FUEL CALCULATING ALONG WITH A FUEL COMPUTER INSTALLED BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY-DISTANCES-COMPLEXITY OF THE AVERAGE MISSION." (.4) WHILE EN ROUTE AT 11,500 FEET MSL, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED 'SEVERE' HEADWINDS AND DECIDED TO DIVERT TO CHARLOTTESVILLE TO REFUEL. ABOUT 2 TO 3 MINUTES INTO HIS DESCENT FO R CHARLOTTESVILLE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT TO RIGHT FUEL TANK AND POWER WAS RESTORED; HOWEVER, LATER AT 4,500 FEET MSL, A SECOND POWER LOSS OCCURRED. UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING TO A COW PASTURE, ABOUT 1 MILE SHORT THE AIRPORT. FAA EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE PILOT REPORTED THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY 'PROPER FUEL CALCULATING ALONG WITH A FUEL COMPUTER INSTALLED, BECAUSE OF THE FREQUENCY-DISTANCES-COMPLEXITY OF THE AVERAGE MISSION.'
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.