What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Aircraft on approach to runway, engine quit landed in a vacant lot. Right wing hit building. Came to rest in lot. (-23) on July 24, 1997, at 242204Z, a Beechcraft model BE-23, N9120T, was on approach to Watertown municipal airport, Watertown, WI when it struck a building and landed in an adjacent vacant lot. The private pilot sustained serious injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. There were no passengers on board. The aircraft was being operated as a personal flight by the owner, ray e. mcmanaway under 14 CFR part 91 when the accident occurred. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. Investigation indicatedthe engine was not running at the time of the impact. Flight and engine control continuity checked good. Both tanks contained sufficient fuel, however, the right tank drained due to impact damage and a good sample could not be obtained. The fuel selector was set on the right tank. The pilot confirmed this was for the duration of the flight, which was meant to be a short flight around the field. The pilot does not remember events beyond the start of his down wind leg.
As the FAA filed it
AIRCRAFT ON APPROACH TO RUNWAY, ENGINE QUIT LANDED IN A VACANT LOT. RIGHT WING HIT BUILDING. CAME TO REST IN LOT. (-23) ON JULY 24, 1997, AT 242204Z, A BEECHCRAFT MODEL BE-23, N9120T, WAS ON APPROACH TO WATERTOWN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, WATERTOWN, WI WHEN IT STRUCK A BUILDING AND LANDED IN AN ADJACENT VACANT LOT. THE PRIVATE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. THERE WERE NO PASSENGERS ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING OPERATED AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT BY THE OWNER, RAY E. MCMANAWAY UNDER 14 CFR PART 91 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. INVESTIGATION INDICATEDTHE ENGINE WAS NOT RUNNING AT THE TIME OF THE IMPACT. FLIGHT AND ENGINE CONTROL CONTINUITY CHECKED GOOD. BOTH TANKS CONTAINED SUFFICIENT FUEL, HOWEVER, THE RIGHT TANK DRAINED DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE AND A GOOD SAMPLE COULD NOT BE OBTAINED. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS SET ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT CONFIRMED THIS WAS FOR THE DURATION OF THE FLIGHT, WHICH WAS MEANT TO BE A SHORT FLIGHT AROUND THE FIELD. THE PILOT DOES NOT REMEMBER EVENTS BEYOND THE START OF HIS DOWN WIND LEG.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.