What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
F-23)suspected fuel exhaustion and resultant descent at night through IMC conditions - a/c struck obstacles during emergency landing. (From .4) the aircraft's engine ceased delivering power during the nighttime instrument landing approach. When they broke out of the clouds, it was apparent to the pilot that the aircraft would not be able to glide to the airport. He maneuvered the aircraft toward a school athletic field and made an emergency landing. The aircraft impacted a utility power pole and severed electrical power wires prior landing inverted on the athletic field. The pilot reported that prior to takeoff he checked the fuel quantity using a dipstick tool and there was 3 hours fuel aboard. He could not recall what the fuel gauges read at the time the engine quit. The flight required 1 hr. 15 minutes en route. Several early responders to the accident site noted that there was no liquid fuel or fuel smells present, and that the pilot was not concerned about potential for a postaccident fire or explosion. Two of the passengers told two different witnesses that the aircraft had run out of fuel. No acft mechanical discrepancies were found during the investigation.
As the FAA filed it
F-23)SUSPECTED FUEL EXHAUSTION AND RESULTANT DESCENT AT NIGHT THROUGH IMC CONDITIONS - A/C STRUCK OBSTACLES DURING EMERGENCY LANDING. (FROM .4) THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE CEASED DELIVERING POWER DURING THE NIGHTTIME INSTRUMENT LANDING APPROACH. WHEN THEY BROKE OUT OF THE CLOUDS, IT WAS APPARENT TO THE PILOT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WOULD NOT BE ABLE TO GLIDE TO THE AIRPORT. HE MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT TOWARD A SCHOOL ATHLETIC FIELD AND MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED A UTILITY POWER POLE AND SEVERED ELECTRICAL POWER WIRES PRIOR LANDING INVERTED ON THE ATHLETIC FIELD. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF HE CHECKED THE FUEL QUANTITY USING A DIPSTICK TOOL AND THERE WAS 3 HOURS FUEL ABOARD. HE COULD NOT RECALL WHAT THE FUEL GAUGES READ AT THE TIME THE ENGINE QUIT. THE FLIGHT REQUIRED 1 HR. 15 MINUTES EN ROUTE. SEVERAL EARLY RESPONDERS TO THE ACCIDENT SITE NOTED THAT THERE WAS NO LIQUID FUEL OR FUEL SMELLS PRESENT, AND THAT THE PILOT WAS NOT CONCERNED ABOUT POTENTIAL FOR A POSTACCIDENT FIRE OR EXPLOSION. TWO OF THE PASSENGERS TOLD TWO DIFFERENT WITNESSES THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL. NO ACFT MECHANICAL DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.