What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft was on a test flight was on final to rwy 17 in VFR conditions. Crashed under unk circum. (.4) the vintage ex-military jet was on an airworthiness test flight after a 12-year rebuilding process. Thirty-five minutes into the flight, and while on approach to an airport, the pilot announced over the radio that he wanted to conduct multiple landings. A little over 2 minutes later, he stated that the airplane would make a full stop, and 7 seconds after that, the pilot reported that he would have to eject. The engine had flamed out, but the pilot stayed with airplane until it cleared a crowded parking lot. The pilot did not survive the low trajectory ejection. Post-accident analysis revealed that one fuel gauge was frozen around 575 pounds, while the other had a needle slap mark at 740 pounds. All four fuselage fuel tanks were found empty, while both inboard wing tanks contained some fuel. The amount of fuel in the wing tanks at the time of the accident was undetermined due to tank leakage from the impact. (-23) at approximately 11:00 am EST, the pilot was conducting an initial test flight of the aircraft. Everything appeared to be normal. Pilot radioe d in on final approach to Manchester that he was ejecting. The aircraft impacted the ground approximately 1/4 mile from the end of the runway. Upon inspection of the aircraft, no fuel was found in the center or forward fuel tanks.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT WAS ON A TEST FLIGHT WAS ON FINAL TO RWY 17 IN VFR CONDITIONS. CRASHED UNDER UNK CIRCUM. (.4) THE VINTAGE EX-MILITARY JET WAS ON AN AIRWORTHINESS TEST FLIGHT AFTER A 12-YEAR REBUILDING PROCESS. THIRTY-FIVE MINUTES INTO THE FLIGHT, AND WHILE ON APPROACH TO AN AIRPORT, THE PILOT ANNOUNCED OVER THE RADIO THAT HE WANTED TO CONDUCT MULTIPLE LANDINGS. A LITTLE OVER 2 MINUTES LATER, HE STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WOULD MAKE A FULL STOP, AND 7 SECONDS AFTER THAT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WOULD HAVE TO EJECT. THE ENGINE HAD FLAMED OUT, BUT THE PILOT STAYED WITH AIRPLANE UNTIL IT CLEARED A CROWDED PARKING LOT. THE PILOT DID NOT SURVIVE THE LOW TRAJECTORY EJECTION. POST-ACCIDENT ANALYSIS REVEALED THAT ONE FUEL GAUGE WAS FROZEN AROUND 575 POUNDS, WHILE THE OTHER HAD A NEEDLE SLAP MARK AT 740 POUNDS. ALL FOUR FUSELAGE FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND EMPTY, WHILE BOTH INBOARD WING TANKS CONTAINED SOME FUEL. THE AMOUNT OF FUEL IN THE WING TANKS AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS UNDETERMINED DUE TO TANK LEAKAGE FROM THE IMPACT. (-23) AT APPROXIMATELY 11:00 AM EST, THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING AN INITIAL TEST FLIGHT OF THE AIRCRAFT. EVERYTHING APPEARED TO BE NORMAL. PILOT RADIOE D IN ON FINAL APPROACH TO MANCHESTER THAT HE WAS EJECTING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY. UPON INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT, NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE CENTER OR FORWARD FUEL TANKS.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.