What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
.19) On November 22, 1998, at 0828 hours mountain standard time, a Varga 2 150A, N78114, lost power shortly after takeoff from the Chandler, Arizona, airport. The aircraft collided with a street sign and a brick wall during the subsequent forced landing on a residential street. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was originating on a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft sustained substantial damage. Neither the pilot nor the one passenger on board were injured. (-23) Mr. Ronald a. starling pilot certificate number 228825266 was the pilot in command of a 1978 Varga/2150A aircraft, serial number VAC-114-78 on November 11, 1998 when he made an emergency landing due to engine stoppage while in cruise flight. During the emergency landing which occurred at 0928 hrs. MST in the vicinity of park street & seville street in the city of Chandler, Arizona, the aircraft struck a block wall causing substantial damage to the aircraft. Mr. Starling states that he checked his fuel prior to departing Chandler airport at 0700 hrs. MST on November 11, 1998 for payson airport. He states that th e fuel was visible and that the gauges had fuel readings of 1/4 of a full tank on one wing and 1/3 of a full tank on the other wing. Mr. Starling additionally states the he believes the engine stopped due to an air lock in the fuel line. The aircraft was removed from the scene of the accident by Mr. Chris jarman of air transport incorporated. Mr. Jarman stated that upon removing the wings of the aircraft for transport, the wing fuel tanks did not have any signs of fuel internally. Mr. Jarman additionally stated that there were no signs of fuel internally. Mr. Jarman additionally stated that there were no signs of fuel residue or fuel odor at the scene of the accident, and that there were no signs of damage or leads to the aircraft's fuel system. (.4) the pilot had an engine failure while en route to his destination. He reported that there were no services available at the departure airport, and he did not perform a visual preflight check of the fuel tanks to determine quantity before departure. The engine failed approximately 8 miles from the airport, and the pilot made a forced landing in a residential farming area. The aircraft landed in a plowed field, proceeded to cros s a road, hit a street sign, and finally hit a residential block wall. Upon examination, the fuel system continuity was established and a total of 4 ounces of fuel was found in the tanks and the lines.
As the FAA filed it
.19) ON NOVEMBER 22, 1998, AT 0828 HOURS MOUNTAIN STANDARD TIME, A VARGA 2 150A, N78114, LOST POWER SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE CHANDLER, ARIZONA, AIRPORT. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A STREET SIGN AND A BRICK WALL DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING ON A RESIDENTIAL STREET. THE AIRCRAFT WAS OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT AND WAS ORIGINATING ON A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE ONE PASSENGER ON BOARD WERE INJURED. (-23) MR. RONALD A. STARLING PILOT CERTIFICATE NUMBER 228825266 WAS THE PILOT IN COMMAND OF A 1978 VARGA/2150A AIRCRAFT, SERIAL NUMBER VAC-114-78 ON NOVEMBER 11, 1998 WHEN HE MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING DUE TO ENGINE STOPPAGE WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT. DURING THE EMERGENCY LANDING WHICH OCCURRED AT 0928 HRS. MST IN THE VICINITY OF PARK STREET & SEVILLE STREET IN THE CITY OF CHANDLER, ARIZONA, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A BLOCK WALL CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. MR. STARLING STATES THAT HE CHECKED HIS FUEL PRIOR TO DEPARTING CHANDLER AIRPORT AT 0700 HRS. MST ON NOVEMBER 11, 1998 FOR PAYSON AIRPORT. HE STATES THAT TH E FUEL WAS VISIBLE AND THAT THE GAUGES HAD FUEL READINGS OF 1/4 OF A FULL TANK ON ONE WING AND 1/3 OF A FULL TANK ON THE OTHER WING. MR. STARLING ADDITIONALLY STATES THE HE BELIEVES THE ENGINE STOPPED DUE TO AN AIR LOCK IN THE FUEL LINE. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT BY MR. CHRIS JARMAN OF AIR TRANSPORT INCORPORATED. MR. JARMAN STATED THAT UPON REMOVING THE WINGS OF THE AIRCRAFT FOR TRANSPORT, THE WING FUEL TANKS DID NOT HAVE ANY SIGNS OF FUEL INTERNALLY. MR. JARMAN ADDITIONALLY STATED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF FUEL INTERNALLY. MR. JARMAN ADDITIONALLY STATED THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF FUEL RESIDUE OR FUEL ODOR AT THE SCENE OF THE ACCIDENT, AND THAT THERE WERE NO SIGNS OF DAMAGE OR LEADS TO THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL SYSTEM. (.4) THE PILOT HAD AN ENGINE FAILURE WHILE EN ROUTE TO HIS DESTINATION. HE REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO SERVICES AVAILABLE AT THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT, AND HE DID NOT PERFORM A VISUAL PREFLIGHT CHECK OF THE FUEL TANKS TO DETERMINE QUANTITY BEFORE DEPARTURE. THE ENGINE FAILED APPROXIMATELY 8 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING IN A RESIDENTIAL FARMING AREA. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED IN A PLOWED FIELD, PROCEEDED TO CROS S A ROAD, HIT A STREET SIGN, AND FINALLY HIT A RESIDENTIAL BLOCK WALL. UPON EXAMINATION, THE FUEL SYSTEM CONTINUITY WAS ESTABLISHED AND A TOTAL OF 4 OUNCES OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE TANKS AND THE LINES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.