What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft crashed short of runway in a ditch. (-23) on feb. 15, 1997, at 1224 CST, a CE-172, N1419Y, registered to and operated by private owner, was substantially damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Rogers, AR. The pilot and one passenger received minor injuries, and the other two passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight. A VFR flight plan was filed and the flight originated at paxton, IL, at approximately 0825. According to the police report, the pilot informed the passengers the airplane was out of fuel and he was going to try to land in an open field. The airplane came to rest in a creek bed.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF RUNWAY IN A DITCH. (-23) ON FEB. 15, 1997, AT 1224 CST, A CE-172, N1419Y, REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY PRIVATE OWNER, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR ROGERS, AR. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE OTHER TWO PASSENGERS WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT. A VFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED AND THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED AT PAXTON, IL, AT APPROXIMATELY 0825. ACCORDING TO THE POLICE REPORT, THE PILOT INFORMED THE PASSENGERS THE AIRPLANE WAS OUT OF FUEL AND HE WAS GOING TO TRY TO LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD. THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST IN A CREEK BED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.