What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Made three missed approachs. On fourth approach engine quit. Landed on road. Hit trees. Fuel tanks empty. (-23) Mr. Kagan was the pilot in command of Cessna 172, N98DE, that made a crash landing about two miles short of the Brownsville airport on 02/23/97, due to fuel starvation. This pilot did not perform proper flight planing in that he was informed of the weather and winds to his destination airport. Knowing that the weather at his destination would in all likely hood be in IFR conditions, he did not have sufficient fuel to comply with required fuel requirements, he was unable to make the required instruments approach at Brownsville airport, part of the problem was that he did not have the required approach plates in the aircraft.
As the FAA filed it
MADE THREE MISSED APPROACHS. ON FOURTH APPROACH ENGINE QUIT. LANDED ON ROAD. HIT TREES. FUEL TANKS EMPTY. (-23) MR. KAGAN WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF CESSNA 172, N98DE, THAT MADE A CRASH LANDING ABOUT TWO MILES SHORT OF THE BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT ON 02/23/97, DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THIS PILOT DID NOT PERFORM PROPER FLIGHT PLANING IN THAT HE WAS INFORMED OF THE WEATHER AND WINDS TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. KNOWING THAT THE WEATHER AT HIS DESTINATION WOULD IN ALL LIKELY HOOD BE IN IFR CONDITIONS, HE DID NOT HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL TO COMPLY WITH REQUIRED FUEL REQUIREMENTS, HE WAS UNABLE TO MAKE THE REQUIRED INSTRUMENTS APPROACH AT BROWNSVILLE AIRPORT, PART OF THE PROBLEM WAS THAT HE DID NOT HAVE THE REQUIRED APPROACH PLATES IN THE AIRCRAFT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.