What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The a/c departed the dunkirk county (NY) airport at about 10:00 pm for a VFR flight to Erie, PA. (Eri). The pilot said his fuel tank indicators read approx. 1/4 on the right tank and just above the "white dot" indication on the left fuel tank. About six miles from landing, one of the engines (the pilot is uncertain which engine) began developing a power problem so he elected to crossfeed fuel from the right tank since the tank had a greater quantity of fuel. The a/c was approx. two miles on final approach for runway 24 when both engines immediately ceased operations. The airplane descended, struck a tree, and fell between two garage-type buildings. The pilot cannot remember if he followed the correct procedures for his intended crossfeed operation. The pilot was injured and the a/c was destroyed in the crash and post-crash fire.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE A/C DEPARTED THE DUNKIRK COUNTY (NY) AIRPORT AT ABOUT 10:00 PM FOR A VFR FLIGHT TO ERIE, PA. (ERI). THE PILOT SAID HIS FUEL TANK INDICATORS READ APPROX. 1/4 ON THE RIGHT TANK AND JUST ABOVE THE "WHITE DOT" INDICATION ON THE LEFT FUEL TANK. ABOUT SIX MILES FROM LANDING, ONE OF THE ENGINES (THE PILOT IS UNCERTAIN WHICH ENGINE) BEGAN DEVELOPING A POWER PROBLEM SO HE ELECTED TO CROSSFEED FUEL FROM THE RIGHT TANK SINCE THE TANK HAD A GREATER QUANTITY OF FUEL. THE A/C WAS APPROX. TWO MILES ON FINAL APPROACH FOR RUNWAY 24 WHEN BOTH ENGINES IMMEDIATELY CEASED OPERATIONS. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED, STRUCK A TREE, AND FELL BETWEEN TWO GARAGE-TYPE BUILDINGS. THE PILOT CANNOT REMEMBER IF HE FOLLOWED THE CORRECT PROCEDURES FOR HIS INTENDED CROSSFEED OPERATION. THE PILOT WAS INJURED AND THE A/C WAS DESTROYED IN THE CRASH AND POST-CRASH FIRE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.