What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power on second try for NDB approach. Usable fuel depleted. Crashed into trees. Failed have proper IFR reserve (-23) on June 28, 1997, at 1139 EDT, a Beech 35, N4863J, crashed in a wooded area off of highway 34 in lugoff, SC, 8.5 miles southwest of Woodward field, Camden (cdn), SC, while attempting to make an approach to runway 24 at Woodward field. Instrument weather conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. An instrument flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The pilot and one passenger received serious injuries, and one passenger was fatally injured. The flight departed jennison riverview (08C), MI. The pilot indicated that he was having difficulty with the NDB approach. The NDB was checked and was determined to be satisfactory. Whe checked, the engine had no fuel in the flow divider. All the fuel filters were clean and dry. The left tank had approximately 3/4 gallon of fuel, and the right tank was dry.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ON SECOND TRY FOR NDB APPROACH. USABLE FUEL DEPLETED. CRASHED INTO TREES. FAILED HAVE PROPER IFR RESERVE (-23) ON JUNE 28, 1997, AT 1139 EDT, A BEECH 35, N4863J, CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA OFF OF HIGHWAY 34 IN LUGOFF, SC, 8.5 MILES SOUTHWEST OF WOODWARD FIELD, CAMDEN (CDN), SC, WHILE ATTEMPTING TO MAKE AN APPROACH TO RUNWAY 24 AT WOODWARD FIELD. INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES, AND ONE PASSENGER WAS FATALLY INJURED. THE FLIGHT DEPARTED JENNISON RIVERVIEW (08C), MI. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE NDB APPROACH. THE NDB WAS CHECKED AND WAS DETERMINED TO BE SATISFACTORY. WHE CHECKED, THE ENGINE HAD NO FUEL IN THE FLOW DIVIDER. ALL THE FUEL FILTERS WERE CLEAN AND DRY. THE LEFT TANK HAD APPROXIMATELY 3/4 GALLON OF FUEL, AND THE RIGHT TANK WAS DRY.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.