What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot reported that the acft had "lost something" shortly after take-off and said he was attempting to return to the arpt. The acft landed on highlands golf course and subsequently sustained substantial damage. Other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on February 8, 1999, at 1910 central standard time, a Beech 35, N5540D, operated by a private pilot had the nose gear collapse during an off airport forced landing following a loss of engine power. The pilot received minor injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The airplane had departed from the Lincoln municipal airport just prior to the accident and was en route to wahoo, Nebraska. (.4) the pilot last preflighted the airplane 2 days prior to the accident day. On the day of the accident he flew from wahoo, NE, to Lincoln and was returning to wahoo. Shortly after takeoff form Lincoln, at an altitude of 2,000 to 2,500 feet AGL the engine lost power. The airplane was landed on a golf course near the airport. Post accident inspection revealed the left main fuel tank was empty. The right main and auxiliary tanks contained fuel. T he pilot stated that he used the left main tank for the takeoff.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT REPORTED THAT THE ACFT HAD "LOST SOMETHING" SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF AND SAID HE WAS ATTEMPTING TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT LANDED ON HIGHLANDS GOLF COURSE AND SUBSEQUENTLY SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. OTHER CIRCUMSTANCES ARE UNKNOWN. (.19) ON FEBRUARY 8, 1999, AT 1910 CENTRAL STANDARD TIME, A BEECH 35, N5540D, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT HAD THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSE DURING AN OFF AIRPORT FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS WITHOUT A FLIGHT PLAN. THE AIRPLANE HAD DEPARTED FROM THE LINCOLN MUNICIPAL AIRPORT JUST PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT AND WAS EN ROUTE TO WAHOO, NEBRASKA. (.4) THE PILOT LAST PREFLIGHTED THE AIRPLANE 2 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT DAY. ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT HE FLEW FROM WAHOO, NE, TO LINCOLN AND WAS RETURNING TO WAHOO. SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FORM LINCOLN, AT AN ALTITUDE OF 2,000 TO 2,500 FEET AGL THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED ON A GOLF COURSE NEAR THE AIRPORT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. THE RIGHT MAIN AND AUXILIARY TANKS CONTAINED FUEL. T HE PILOT STATED THAT HE USED THE LEFT MAIN TANK FOR THE TAKEOFF.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.