What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On 7-19-99, private pilot privacy data omitted while enroute from riverside airport to long beach airport experienced a power loss over Huntington beach, cal. While on approach to lgb, the pilot crash landed on briarcliff Dr. The a/c was destroyed upon landing after striking a tree. There was no injuries to the pilot. Further investigation by privacy data omitted owner of a/c recovery services and FAA inspector privacy data omitteddetermined the engine failure was due to fuel starvation. The investigation was turned over to the operations section for follow up. (.4) the pilot stated he used a dipstick during preflight, which was graduated in four equal increments, but not calibrated for this airplane. Based upon the mark on the dipstick, he determined the tanks were slightly over 1/3 of capacity and estimated he had 13 to 14 gallons of fuel aboard. He estimated 9 gallons would be needed for the flight. During a subsequent interview, the pilot told a FAA inspector the airplane had a 38-gallon fuel capacity. The type certificate data sheet specifies 26 gallons total fuel capacity with 22.5 gallons useable. Standard tanks were found on the airplane duri ng postaccident inspection. After departure the pilot flew a total of 1.5 hours, completing one takeoff and landing and three practice instrument approaches. On radar vectors for the ILS final approach course at long beach, the engine sputtered, then quit. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a city street and collided with multiple obstacles. Recovery personnel reported draining 2 pints of fuel from the left fuel tank and no fuel from the right tank. Following recovery, the engine was started in the airframe and successfully test run.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON 7-19-99, PRIVATE PILOT ^PRIVACY DAT^ WHILE ENROUTE FROM RIVERSIDE AIRPORT TO LONG BEACH AIRPORT EXPERIENCED A POWER LOSS OVER HUNTINGTON BEACH, CAL. WHILE ON APPROACH TO LGB, THE PILOT CRASH LANDED ON BRIARCLIFF DR. THE A/C WAS DESTROYED UPON LANDING AFTER STRIKING A TREE. THERE WAS NO INJURIES TO THE PILOT. FURTHER INVESTIGATION BY ^PRIVACY DATA^ OWNER OF A/C RECOVERY SERVICES AND FAA INSPECTOR ^PRIVACY DA^DETERMINED THE ENGINE FAILURE WAS DUE TO FUEL STARVATION. THE INVESTIGATION WAS TURNED OVER TO THE OPERATIONS SECTION FOR FOLLOW UP. (.4) THE PILOT STATED HE USED A DIPSTICK DURING PREFLIGHT, WHICH WAS GRADUATED IN FOUR EQUAL INCREMENTS, BUT NOT CALIBRATED FOR THIS AIRPLANE. BASED UPON THE MARK ON THE DIPSTICK, HE DETERMINED THE TANKS WERE SLIGHTLY OVER 1/3 OF CAPACITY AND ESTIMATED HE HAD 13 TO 14 GALLONS OF FUEL ABOARD. HE ESTIMATED 9 GALLONS WOULD BE NEEDED FOR THE FLIGHT. DURING A SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEW, THE PILOT TOLD A FAA INSPECTOR THE AIRPLANE HAD A 38-GALLON FUEL CAPACITY. THE TYPE CERTIFICATE DATA SHEET SPECIFIES 26 GALLONS TOTAL FUEL CAPACITY WITH 22.5 GALLONS USEABLE. STANDARD TANKS WERE FOUND ON THE AIRPLANE DURI NG POSTACCIDENT INSPECTION. AFTER DEPARTURE THE PILOT FLEW A TOTAL OF 1.5 HOURS, COMPLETING ONE TAKEOFF AND LANDING AND THREE PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACHES. ON RADAR VECTORS FOR THE ILS FINAL APPROACH COURSE AT LONG BEACH, THE ENGINE SPUTTERED, THEN QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A FORCED LANDING ON A CITY STREET AND COLLIDED WITH MULTIPLE OBSTACLES. RECOVERY PERSONNEL REPORTED DRAINING 2 PINTS OF FUEL FROM THE LEFT FUEL TANK AND NO FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK. FOLLOWING RECOVERY, THE ENGINE WAS STARTED IN THE AIRFRAME AND SUCCESSFULLY TEST RUN.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.