What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was attempting to make emer landing for unk reasons struck a tree and crashed, Mckinney, TX. (-23) aircraft lost power. Pilot attempted emergency landing on county road 470 approximately 3/4 mile east of FM1827. RH wing struck large trees. Aircraft came to rest approximately 180 feet from initial impact of trees. Aircraft was inverted, turned approximately 135 degree from emergency landing direction. No fire. No indication of fuel. (.4)a total loss of engine power occurred during the final descent to the destination airport. Fluctuation of the fuel quantity gauges was reported by the pilot. The pilot planned the cruise flight at 75 percent power and leaned the mixture by using the EGT gauge. A passenger reported the aircraft 'ran out of fuel.' There was no evidence of fuel at the accident site. The company mechanic had informed the pilot that the engine would run lean and that fuel consumption for the airplane varied from 8 gph to 12 gph. The total cross country flight time was calculated at 5 hours and 11 to 19 minutes. According to the pilot's operating handbook, the endurance at 75 percent cruise power is approximately 5 hrs 24 minutes. No pre-existing mechanical anomalies were found that would have precluded engine producing power. Testing of the fuel sending units revealed inaccuracy of the cockpit fuel gauge readings.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS ATTEMPTING TO MAKE EMER LANDING FOR UNK REASONS STRUCK A TREE AND CRASHED, MCKINNEY, TX. (-23) AIRCRAFT LOST POWER. PILOT ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING ON COUNTY ROAD 470 APPROXIMATELY 3/4 MILE EAST OF FM1827. RH WING STRUCK LARGE TREES. AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 180 FEET FROM INITIAL IMPACT OF TREES. AIRCRAFT WAS INVERTED, TURNED APPROXIMATELY 135 DEGREE FROM EMERGENCY LANDING DIRECTION. NO FIRE. NO INDICATION OF FUEL. (.4)A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER OCCURRED DURING THE FINAL DESCENT TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. FLUCTUATION OF THE FUEL QUANTITY GAUGES WAS REPORTED BY THE PILOT. THE PILOT PLANNED THE CRUISE FLIGHT AT 75 PERCENT POWER AND LEANED THE MIXTURE BY USING THE EGT GAUGE. A PASSENGER REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT 'RAN OUT OF FUEL.' THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE COMPANY MECHANIC HAD INFORMED THE PILOT THAT THE ENGINE WOULD RUN LEAN AND THAT FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE AIRPLANE VARIED FROM 8 GPH TO 12 GPH. THE TOTAL CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TIME WAS CALCULATED AT 5 HOURS AND 11 TO 19 MINUTES. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S OPERATING HANDBOOK, THE ENDURANCE AT 75 PERCENT CRUISE POWER IS APPROXIMATELY 5 HRS 24 MINUTES. NO PRE-EXISTING MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PRECLUDED ENGINE PRODUCING POWER. TESTING OF THE FUEL SENDING UNITS REVEALED INACCURACY OF THE COCKPIT FUEL GAUGE READINGS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.