What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power on approach after circling due landing gear problem. Hit approach lights short rwy. Reported out of fuel (-23) on November 2, 1997, at about 1653 hours Cessna 402B aircraft registered to donovan aircraft, on final approach to fll rwy 27L had a right main landing gear unsafe light illuminated the pilot executed a go around then attempted a landing but the did not hold up so he took off again fly around while he tried to cycle the gear and do a manual extension. At about 1740 hours as he began the final approach to runway 27L the right engine quit he got it started again then both engines began to surge he switched the fuel thanks to crossfeed, then both engines quit. The pilot switched the fuel tanks to left auxiliary, restarted the left engine and feathered the right engine. He continued inbound and at approximately an 1/4 of a mile from the runway the left engine quit again. The pilot made a forced landing colliding with the approach lights, landing short of the runway where aircraft struck an embankment and the perimeter fence then came to rest 100 feet short of the runway. All passengers and pilot exited the aircraft without injur y. at the scene of the accident the pilot, fernando sereix, stated to the FAA inspector thomas laird, that "I ran out fuel." A review of the tower tapes also confirmed his statement. Further inspection of the wreckage revealed no sign of fuel in the tanks or lines to the engines. The landing gear system was too badly damaged to evaluate what failed in the landing gear down lock system.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ON APPROACH AFTER CIRCLING DUE LANDING GEAR PROBLEM. HIT APPROACH LIGHTS SHORT RWY. REPORTED OUT OF FUEL (-23) ON NOVEMBER 2, 1997, AT ABOUT 1653 HOURS CESSNA 402B AIRCRAFT REGISTERED TO DONOVAN AIRCRAFT, ON FINAL APPROACH TO FLL RWY 27L HAD A RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR UNSAFE LIGHT ILLUMINATED THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO AROUND THEN ATTEMPTED A LANDING BUT THE DID NOT HOLD UP SO HE TOOK OFF AGAIN FLY AROUND WHILE HE TRIED TO CYCLE THE GEAR AND DO A MANUAL EXTENSION. AT ABOUT 1740 HOURS AS HE BEGAN THE FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27L THE RIGHT ENGINE QUIT HE GOT IT STARTED AGAIN THEN BOTH ENGINES BEGAN TO SURGE HE SWITCHED THE FUEL THANKS TO CROSSFEED, THEN BOTH ENGINES QUIT. THE PILOT SWITCHED THE FUEL TANKS TO LEFT AUXILIARY, RESTARTED THE LEFT ENGINE AND FEATHERED THE RIGHT ENGINE. HE CONTINUED INBOUND AND AT APPROXIMATELY AN 1/4 OF A MILE FROM THE RUNWAY THE LEFT ENGINE QUIT AGAIN. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING COLLIDING WITH THE APPROACH LIGHTS, LANDING SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHERE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN EMBANKMENT AND THE PERIMETER FENCE THEN CAME TO REST 100 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. ALL PASSENGERS AND PILOT EXITED THE AIRCRAFT WITHOUT INJUR Y. AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT THE PILOT, FERNANDO SEREIX, STATED TO THE FAA INSPECTOR THOMAS LAIRD, THAT "I RAN OUT FUEL." A REVIEW OF THE TOWER TAPES ALSO CONFIRMED HIS STATEMENT. FURTHER INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO SIGN OF FUEL IN THE TANKS OR LINES TO THE ENGINES. THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WAS TOO BADLY DAMAGED TO EVALUATE WHAT FAILED IN THE LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK SYSTEM.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.