19980425007769A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Lerille Red P & W 1937 · Lafayette, LA · April 25, 1998

Date: April 25, 1998 · 08:02 local
Place: Lafayette, LA
Airport: Lafayette Regional
Phase of flight: Missed Approach IFR
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N546R
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW98LA193
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney R985AN1
Fatal injuries: 0
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,000 total13 in the last 90 days

N546RRegistered now · Lerille Red P & W 1937S/N JRY03 · Built 1998 Airframe modelLerille Red P & W 1937 Engine modelPratt & Whitney R-985 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Acft was cleared to land rwy 22L. On short final reported out of gas. Acft crashed short on 22L off the arpt. (.4)the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion while on final approach to runway 22L. The pilot reported to the tower controller that the airplane was 'out of fuel.' The airplane landed 150 yards short of the runway. During the landing roll, the airplane impacted trees, a 'small' ditch, and came to rest inverted. No usable fuel was observed in either of the aircraft's two fuel tanks. No discrepancies were found that would have prevented normal operation of the airplane. (-23) airplane was on final approach to runway 22L at the Lafayette Regional Airport when the pilot reported to the controller that the aircraft was out of fuel. Subsequently, the aircraft impacted terrain approximately 150 yards short of the runway and came to rest inverted.

As the FAA filed it

ACFT WAS CLEARED TO LAND RWY 22L. ON SHORT FINAL REPORTED OUT OF GAS. ACFT CRASHED SHORT ON 22L OFF THE ARPT. (.4)THE ENGINE LOST POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22L. THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE TOWER CONTROLLER THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS 'OUT OF FUEL.' THE AIRPLANE LANDED 150 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED TREES, A 'SMALL' DITCH, AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. NO USABLE FUEL WAS OBSERVED IN EITHER OF THE AIRCRAFT'S TWO FUEL TANKS. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND THAT WOULD HAVE PREVENTED NORMAL OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE. (-23) AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 22L AT THE LAFAYETTE REGIONAL AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED TO THE CONTROLLER THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS OUT OF FUEL. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 150 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY AND CAME TO REST INVERTED.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW98LA193Accident · Serious injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportLafayette, LAThe fuel exhaustion due to the pilot's failure to refuel. A factor was the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.Apr 25, 1998 · Substantial damage