What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Lost power enroute. Force landed in trees. No usable fuel on board. Prop was not turning at impact. (.4) after two previous uneventful flights, the pilot reported he observed the fuel gages in the cockpit indicate the airplane's right fuel tank was 3/8 full, and the left fuel tank was `a little less then 1/4 full, about 1/8 full.' He did not visually check the fuel quantity. About 15 to 30 minutes after takeoff, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot was able to restart the engine for about 25 seconds, before it lost power again. During a forced landing to a field, the airplane impacted the tops of trees and came to rest in a wooded area. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. About 2 1/2 gallons of fuel was found in the airplane's fuel system. According to the airplane information manual (aim), the airplane's total fuel capacity was 26 gallons, of which 3.5 gallons was unusable. The aim, section I, before starting engine checklist stated in part, `visually check fuel quantity, then check filler cap secure.' (-23) on may 24, 1998, the pilot was operating the a/c on a flight from hazelton, PA (hzl), to cherry ridge, PA (N30), with one passenger on board. Wile enroute, the engine stopped running and the airport crashed into the tree tops, causing substantial damage to the aircraft and serious injury to the pilot. The investigation revealed fuel exhaustion as only approx. 2 gallons of usable fuel were found on board the a/c. the flight was conducted under 14CFR part-91 and weather was not a factor.
As the FAA filed it
LOST POWER ENROUTE. FORCE LANDED IN TREES. NO USABLE FUEL ON BOARD. PROP WAS NOT TURNING AT IMPACT. (.4) AFTER TWO PREVIOUS UNEVENTFUL FLIGHTS, THE PILOT REPORTED HE OBSERVED THE FUEL GAGES IN THE COCKPIT INDICATE THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS 3/8 FULL, AND THE LEFT FUEL TANK WAS `A LITTLE LESS THEN 1/4 FULL, ABOUT 1/8 FULL.' HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY. ABOUT 15 TO 30 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCED A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE ENGINE FOR ABOUT 25 SECONDS, BEFORE IT LOST POWER AGAIN. DURING A FORCED LANDING TO A FIELD, THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE TOPS OF TREES AND CAME TO REST IN A WOODED AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. ABOUT 2 1/2 GALLONS OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE AIRPLANE'S FUEL SYSTEM. ACCORDING TO THE AIRPLANE INFORMATION MANUAL (AIM), THE AIRPLANE'S TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY WAS 26 GALLONS, OF WHICH 3.5 GALLONS WAS UNUSABLE. THE AIM, SECTION I, BEFORE STARTING ENGINE CHECKLIST STATED IN PART, `VISUALLY CHECK FUEL QUANTITY, THEN CHECK FILLER CAP SECURE.' (-23) ON MAY 24, 1998, THE PILOT WAS OPERATING THE A/C ON A FLIGHT FROM HAZELTON, PA (HZL), TO CHERRY RIDGE, PA (N30), WITH ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD. WILE ENROUTE, THE ENGINE STOPPED RUNNING AND THE AIRPORT CRASHED INTO THE TREE TOPS, CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AND SERIOUS INJURY TO THE PILOT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED FUEL EXHAUSTION AS ONLY APPROX. 2 GALLONS OF USABLE FUEL WERE FOUND ON BOARD THE A/C. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED UNDER 14CFR PART-91 AND WEATHER WAS NOT A FACTOR.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.