What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Engine quit on final. Crashed short of runway. Fuel selector on empty tank fuel in other. (.4)the pilot reported that on final, after being cleared to land, the engine quit without warning. Attempts to regain engine power, which included switching fuel tanks, were unsuccessful, and the pilot made a forced landing onto soft terrain 1/4 mile short of the runway. At the accident scene, 23 ounces of fuel were found in the left tank and 14 gallons of fuel were in the right tank. The pilot acknowledged that the power loss was due to fuel starvation, and stated that no mechanical failure or malfunction was involved in the accident. He stated that at about the time he was to have switched to the right tank, he became occupied with donning oxygen on himself and his children, and that shortly afterward his daughter started not feeling well and complained of headaches. The pilot stated that this situation distracted him from his other pilot duties. The engine power loss occurred about 45 minutes after this event. (-23) N3MG, Beech bonanza, experience engine failure and crashed half mile short of runway, on airport property, but outside of fenced area. Three people on board; pilot and two children. No injuries. Substantial damage. Aircraft was IFR. Inspection of aircraft revealed 23 ounces of fuel in left tank; 20 gallons of fuel in right tank. I interviewed fireman, first on the scene, who stated that the left fuel tank was selected when he shut off the fuel. Further investigation with pilot and follow-up with operations inspector revealed mismanagement of fuel.
As the FAA filed it
ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL. CRASHED SHORT OF RUNWAY. FUEL SELECTOR ON EMPTY TANK FUEL IN OTHER. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT ON FINAL, AFTER BEING CLEARED TO LAND, THE ENGINE QUIT WITHOUT WARNING. ATTEMPTS TO REGAIN ENGINE POWER, WHICH INCLUDED SWITCHING FUEL TANKS, WERE UNSUCCESSFUL, AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING ONTO SOFT TERRAIN 1/4 MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. AT THE ACCIDENT SCENE, 23 OUNCES OF FUEL WERE FOUND IN THE LEFT TANK AND 14 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PILOT ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THE POWER LOSS WAS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION, AND STATED THAT NO MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS INVOLVED IN THE ACCIDENT. HE STATED THAT AT ABOUT THE TIME HE WAS TO HAVE SWITCHED TO THE RIGHT TANK, HE BECAME OCCUPIED WITH DONNING OXYGEN ON HIMSELF AND HIS CHILDREN, AND THAT SHORTLY AFTERWARD HIS DAUGHTER STARTED NOT FEELING WELL AND COMPLAINED OF HEADACHES. THE PILOT STATED THAT THIS SITUATION DISTRACTED HIM FROM HIS OTHER PILOT DUTIES. THE ENGINE POWER LOSS OCCURRED ABOUT 45 MINUTES AFTER THIS EVENT. (-23) N3MG, BEECH BONANZA, EXPERIENCE ENGINE FAILURE AND CRASHED HALF MILE SHORT OF RUNWAY, ON AIRPORT PROPERTY, BUT OUTSIDE OF FENCED AREA. THREE PEOPLE ON BOARD; PILOT AND TWO CHILDREN. NO INJURIES. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AIRCRAFT WAS IFR. INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED 23 OUNCES OF FUEL IN LEFT TANK; 20 GALLONS OF FUEL IN RIGHT TANK. I INTERVIEWED FIREMAN, FIRST ON THE SCENE, WHO STATED THAT THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS SELECTED WHEN HE SHUT OFF THE FUEL. FURTHER INVESTIGATION WITH PILOT AND FOLLOW-UP WITH OPERATIONS INSPECTOR REVEALED MISMANAGEMENT OF FUEL.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.