What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was practicing ILS approaches, and the aircraft crashed short of rwy.(.19)on December 5, 1998, at 1056 hours pacific standard time, a Piper PA-24-250, N8086P, colided with ground obstructions during a forced landing 2.5 miles north of the southern California international airport, Victorville, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a total loss of engine power during a practice instrument approach to the airport. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time. The aircraft, owned and operated by the pilot, sustained substantial damage. The pilot, the sole occupant, incurred minor injuries. The flight originated from the airport at an unknown time on the morning of the accident as a local area personal flight. In a verbal statement, the pilot reported that he was performing a practice ILS approach to the airport when the engine lost power. He applied carburetor heat and switched fuel tanks; however, the engine did not restart prior to ground contact. The retrieval firm that recovered the aircraft reported that the right main frel tank was empty. The right outboard, left main, and left outboard tanks were full. (-23) on December 5, 1998, at 10:56 PST, Mr. Thomas m. gates was landing at southern California international airport Victorville CA utilizing the instrument landing system (ILS). On final approach to runway 17, between the middle and inner markers, two and half miles from the end of runway 17, the engine quit. Mr. Gates pulled carburetor heat thinking the carburetor was accumulating ice, but the engine did not respond. Mr. Gates switched fuel tanks but before the engine could respond the aircraft impacted the ground one and a half miles from the end of runway 17. An on scene investigation that found the right main fuel tank was empty as viewed throught the filler opening. The left and right auxiliary, and left main fuel tanks, were almost full. Mr. Gates the sole occupant, incurred minor injuries.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS PRACTICING ILS APPROACHES, AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED SHORT OF RWY.(.19)ON DECEMBER 5, 1998, AT 1056 HOURS PACIFIC STANDARD TIME, A PIPER PA-24-250, N8086P, COLIDED WITH GROUND OBSTRUCTIONS DURING A FORCED LANDING 2.5 MILES NORTH OF THE SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, VICTORVILLE, CALIFORNIA. THE FORCED LANDING WAS PRECIPITATED BY A TOTAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AT THE TIME. THE AIRCRAFT, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT, SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, INCURRED MINOR INJURIES. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM THE AIRPORT AT AN UNKNOWN TIME ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT AS A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT. IN A VERBAL STATEMENT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS PERFORMING A PRACTICE ILS APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE APPLIED CARBURETOR HEAT AND SWITCHED FUEL TANKS; HOWEVER, THE ENGINE DID NOT RESTART PRIOR TO GROUND CONTACT. THE RETRIEVAL FIRM THAT RECOVERED THE AIRCRAFT REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN FREL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE RIGHT OUTBOARD, LEFT MAIN, AND LEFT OUTBOARD TANKS WERE FULL. (-23) ON DECEMBER 5, 1998, AT 10:56 PST, MR. THOMAS M. GATES WAS LANDING AT SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT VICTORVILLE CA UTILIZING THE INSTRUMENT LANDING SYSTEM (ILS). ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 17, BETWEEN THE MIDDLE AND INNER MARKERS, TWO AND HALF MILES FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 17, THE ENGINE QUIT. MR. GATES PULLED CARBURETOR HEAT THINKING THE CARBURETOR WAS ACCUMULATING ICE, BUT THE ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND. MR. GATES SWITCHED FUEL TANKS BUT BEFORE THE ENGINE COULD RESPOND THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE GROUND ONE AND A HALF MILES FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 17. AN ON SCENE INVESTIGATION THAT FOUND THE RIGHT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY AS VIEWED THROUGHT THE FILLER OPENING. THE LEFT AND RIGHT AUXILIARY, AND LEFT MAIN FUEL TANKS, WERE ALMOST FULL. MR. GATES THE SOLE OCCUPANT, INCURRED MINOR INJURIES.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.