What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was enroute from new york to phil when it ran out of fuel. Landed in a cornfield. Pemberton, NJ. (.4)the pilot reported that he added 20 gallons of fuel, prior to his departure, which brought the total fuel onboard between 45 and 48 gallons. He purchased this fuel at a local airport and transported it to his airplane at the lake, since no fueling services were available at lake hinkley. The pilot estimated the flight would take him about 2 1/2 hours to complete. About 2 hours after his departure, the engine lost power, and the pilot 'landed the airplane in a corn field, out of fuel.' He stated that he had no mechanical problems with the airplane, and that the fuel gages gradually decreased during the flight; however, he 'would not rely on the fuel gages in a forty year old airplane.' Examination of the airplane revealed that both fuel tanks were intact and empty. According to a representative of the engine's manufacturer, the fuel consumption for the model engine was 8 to 10 gallons per hour. The pilot reported 250 hours of total flight experience, 10 hours of which were in the make and model of the accident airplane. (-23) pilot departed hinckley lake, n.y. at approximately 12:45 local. Pilot stated he added 20 gallons of fuel to aircraft for a total of 45-48 gallons. At approximately 15:00 local aircraft ran out of fuel. Pilot dead sticked aircraft into a corn field in Pemberton, n.j. aircraft received substantial damage to the fuselage. This inspector checked both fuel tanks, both were empty. Aircraft was to land at phl sea plane base.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS ENROUTE FROM NEW YORK TO PHIL WHEN IT RAN OUT OF FUEL. LANDED IN A CORNFIELD. PEMBERTON, NJ. (.4)THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE ADDED 20 GALLONS OF FUEL, PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE, WHICH BROUGHT THE TOTAL FUEL ONBOARD BETWEEN 45 AND 48 GALLONS. HE PURCHASED THIS FUEL AT A LOCAL AIRPORT AND TRANSPORTED IT TO HIS AIRPLANE AT THE LAKE, SINCE NO FUELING SERVICES WERE AVAILABLE AT LAKE HINKLEY. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE FLIGHT WOULD TAKE HIM ABOUT 2 1/2 HOURS TO COMPLETE. ABOUT 2 HOURS AFTER HIS DEPARTURE, THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND THE PILOT 'LANDED THE AIRPLANE IN A CORN FIELD, OUT OF FUEL.' HE STATED THAT HE HAD NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WITH THE AIRPLANE, AND THAT THE FUEL GAGES GRADUALLY DECREASED DURING THE FLIGHT; HOWEVER, HE 'WOULD NOT RELY ON THE FUEL GAGES IN A FORTY YEAR OLD AIRPLANE.' EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THAT BOTH FUEL TANKS WERE INTACT AND EMPTY. ACCORDING TO A REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENGINE'S MANUFACTURER, THE FUEL CONSUMPTION FOR THE MODEL ENGINE WAS 8 TO 10 GALLONS PER HOUR. THE PILOT REPORTED 250 HOURS OF TOTAL FLIGHT EXPERIENCE, 10 HOURS OF WHICH WERE IN THE MAKE AND MODEL OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE. (-23) PILOT DEPARTED HINCKLEY LAKE, N.Y. AT APPROXIMATELY 12:45 LOCAL. PILOT STATED HE ADDED 20 GALLONS OF FUEL TO AIRCRAFT FOR A TOTAL OF 45-48 GALLONS. AT APPROXIMATELY 15:00 LOCAL AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL. PILOT DEAD STICKED AIRCRAFT INTO A CORN FIELD IN PEMBERTON, N.J. AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FUSELAGE. THIS INSPECTOR CHECKED BOTH FUEL TANKS, BOTH WERE EMPTY. AIRCRAFT WAS TO LAND AT PHL SEA PLANE BASE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.