What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Ran out of fuel on IFR flight plan. (.4)the pilot indicated that he believed that the flight would be in VMC conditions for most of the flight; however, he said that for most of the flight he encountered IMC conditions. He was held prior to his initial approach for 20 minutes. On the initial approach he missed and returned to the VOR. At this point he realized that he needed to find an alternate airport and while searching for one exhausted all usable fuel. A forced landing was made to a field where on landing the airplane sustained substantial damage. Subsequent to the accident, no usable fuel remained in the fuel tanks. No mechanical anomalies were discovered. There was no evidence of fuel leaks, stains, and the fuel caps were intact and serviceable. (-23) on may 3, 1998 at approximately 1525 CDT, N75306, a PA-28, experienced fuel exhaustion near east Hannibal, Illinois. The pilot made a forced landing in a farm field which resulted in substantial damage to the aircraft. The pilot and one passenger sustained no injuries. The personal flight departed hazard, Kentucky on an instrumental flight plan earlier in the day WI th the intention of flying to quincy, Illinois, which was approximately 18 miles to the northeast.
As the FAA filed it
RAN OUT OF FUEL ON IFR FLIGHT PLAN. (.4)THE PILOT INDICATED THAT HE BELIEVED THAT THE FLIGHT WOULD BE IN VMC CONDITIONS FOR MOST OF THE FLIGHT; HOWEVER, HE SAID THAT FOR MOST OF THE FLIGHT HE ENCOUNTERED IMC CONDITIONS. HE WAS HELD PRIOR TO HIS INITIAL APPROACH FOR 20 MINUTES. ON THE INITIAL APPROACH HE MISSED AND RETURNED TO THE VOR. AT THIS POINT HE REALIZED THAT HE NEEDED TO FIND AN ALTERNATE AIRPORT AND WHILE SEARCHING FOR ONE EXHAUSTED ALL USABLE FUEL. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO A FIELD WHERE ON LANDING THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT TO THE ACCIDENT, NO USABLE FUEL REMAINED IN THE FUEL TANKS. NO MECHANICAL ANOMALIES WERE DISCOVERED. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKS, STAINS, AND THE FUEL CAPS WERE INTACT AND SERVICEABLE. (-23) ON MAY 3, 1998 AT APPROXIMATELY 1525 CDT, N75306, A PA-28, EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION NEAR EAST HANNIBAL, ILLINOIS. THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A FARM FIELD WHICH RESULTED IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT.THE PILOT AND ONE PASSENGER SUSTAINED NO INJURIES. THE PERSONAL FLIGHT DEPARTED HAZARD, KENTUCKY ON AN INSTRUMENTAL FLIGHT PLAN EARLIER IN THE DAY WI TH THE INTENTION OF FLYING TO QUINCY, ILLINOIS, WHICH WAS APPROXIMATELY 18 MILES TO THE NORTHEAST.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.