What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost right engine power on descent. Pilot reported out of fuel, crashed into water. (-23) on March 19, 1997, at 2333 central standard time, a Cessna 421, N4050L, impacted water and sank during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near league city, Texas. The private pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, received fatal injuries. The airplane was registered to and operated by mtk jet of Washington, Delaware, under title 14 CFR part 91. According to air traffic control personnel, the airplane departed montgomery field in san diego, California at 1402 pacific standard time, with a destination of galveston, Texas. An IFR flight plan was filed for the flight, and the airplane was receiving vectors from Houston approach control for an ILS approach to scholes field in galveston when the pilot declared an emergency. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. Until March 29, 1997, the airplane remained where it came to rest, submerged in 25 feet of water in a sand pit. The aircraft was destroyed. When the pilot filed his IFR flight plan, he indicated that the estimated time enroute for the non-stop flight from san diego to galveston was 05 hours and 21 minutes, and the airplane carried enough fuel to fly for 07 hours and 30 minutes. The elapsed time from takeoff in san diego to the loss of radar contact by Houston approach was 07 hours and 31 minutes.
As the FAA filed it
LOST RIGHT ENGINE POWER ON DESCENT. PILOT REPORTED OUT OF FUEL, CRASHED INTO WATER. (-23) ON MARCH 19, 1997, AT 2333 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A CESSNA 421, N4050L, IMPACTED WATER AND SANK DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER NEAR LEAGUE CITY, TEXAS. THE PRIVATE PILOT, SOLE OCCUPANT OF THE AIRPLANE, RECEIVED FATAL INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS REGISTERED TO AND OPERATED BY MTK JET OF WASHINGTON, DELAWARE, UNDER TITLE 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL PERSONNEL, THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED MONTGOMERY FIELD IN SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA AT 1402 PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, WITH A DESTINATION OF GALVESTON, TEXAS. AN IFR FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE FLIGHT, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS RECEIVING VECTORS FROM HOUSTON APPROACH CONTROL FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO SCHOLES FIELD IN GALVESTON WHEN THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY. NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. UNTIL MARCH 29, 1997, THE AIRPLANE REMAINED WHERE IT CAME TO REST, SUBMERGED IN 25 FEET OF WATER IN A SAND PIT. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. WHEN THE PILOT FILED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN, HE INDICATED THAT THE ESTIMATED TIME ENROUTE FOR THE NON-STOP FLIGHT FROM SAN DIEGO TO GALVESTON WAS 05 HOURS AND 21 MINUTES, AND THE AIRPLANE CARRIED ENOUGH FUEL TO FLY FOR 07 HOURS AND 30 MINUTES. THE ELAPSED TIME FROM TAKEOFF IN SAN DIEGO TO THE LOSS OF RADAR CONTACT BY HOUSTON APPROACH WAS 07 HOURS AND 31 MINUTES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.