What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The following narrative was developed through interviews and statements from the pilot, witnesses, and an on-scene investigation conducted by personnel of the allegheny flight standards office, EA03. The pilot, Mr. John w. benford, holder of private pilot certificate #163324691, departed the Somerset County Airport, 2G9, Somerset, PA, on a local IFR training flight under vmv. After a preflight, he took off at approximately 1400L on August 10, 2000. At approximately 5 miles from the Somerset airport, during a second localizer approach, the pilot stated that the engine began to run rough. At that point in time, the pilot said he was airborne for about 40 minutes. He said he switched fuel tanks which only helped a little. The pilot added that he attempted to continued to switch fuel tanks but could not keep the engine running. The engine stopped and the aircraft descended until it impacted the ground in a schoolyard adjacent to the airport property at 1450 l. after the aircraft hit the ground, it slid approximately 65 feet until it impacted the airport perimeter fence and came to a stop. An on-scene investigation found no fuel in the fuel system from the filter to the flow divider. Removal of the fuel tank inspection panels on the wing revealed approximately one quart of fuel in the wings. There was no other evidence of fuel leakage on the wings, and there was continuity established in the fuel system. The pilot stated that during preflight, he thought there were approximatley 40 gallons of fuel on board.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE FOLLOWING NARRATIVE WAS DEVELOPED THROUGH INTERVIEWS AND STATEMENTS FROM THE PILOT, WITNESSES, AND AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION CONDUCTED BY PERSONNEL OF THE ALLEGHENY FLIGHT STANDARDS OFFICE, EA03. THE PILOT, MR. JOHN W. BENFORD, HOLDER OF PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE #163324691, DEPARTED THE SOMERSET COUNTY AIRPORT, 2G9, SOMERSET, PA, ON A LOCAL IFR TRAINING FLIGHT UNDER VMV. AFTER A PREFLIGHT, HE TOOK OFF AT APPROXIMATELY 1400L ON AUGUST 10, 2000. AT APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES FROM THE SOMERSET AIRPORT, DURING A SECOND LOCALIZER APPROACH, THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. AT THAT POINT IN TIME, THE PILOT SAID HE WAS AIRBORNE FOR ABOUT 40 MINUTES. HE SAID HE SWITCHED FUEL TANKS WHICH ONLY HELPED A LITTLE. THE PILOT ADDED THAT HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUED TO SWITCH FUEL TANKS BUT COULD NOT KEEP THE ENGINE RUNNING. THE ENGINE STOPPED AND THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A SCHOOLYARD ADJACENT TO THE AIRPORT PROPERTY AT 1450 L. AFTER THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND, IT SLID APPROXIMATELY 65 FEET UNTIL IT IMPACTED THE AIRPORT PERIMETER FENCE AND CAME TO A STOP. AN ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION FOUND NO FUEL IN THE FUEL SYSTEM FROM THE FILTER TO THE FLOW DIVIDER. REMOVAL OF THE FUEL TANK INSPECTION PANELS ON THE WING REVEALED APPROXIMATELY ONE QUART OF FUEL IN THE WINGS. THERE WAS NO OTHER EVIDENCE OF FUEL LEAKAGE ON THE WINGS, AND THERE WAS CONTINUITY ESTABLISHED IN THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING PREFLIGHT, HE THOUGHT THERE WERE APPROXIMATLEY 40 GALLONS OF FUEL ON BOARD.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.