What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N97JW (Varieze) was approximately 5 miles south of Gary airport when the pilot called and advised them that the aircraft was losing power. N97JW landed on ridge road and cleveland, pilot received serious injuries and aircraft had substantial damage. After aircraft was moved from the accident site to a hangar, inspection of aircraft revealed that the fuel selector was positioned to the right fuel tank, right fuel tank was empty. Left fuel tank was found to be empty also. The auxiliary tank was the only fuel tank containing fuel. (.19) on April 14, 2002, at 2100 central daylight time, a Varieze, N97JW, operated by a private pilot collided with a telephone pole during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The accident occurred bear the intersection of ridge and cleveland roads in Gary, Indiana. The private pilot received serious injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions and it is unknown if a flight plan was filed. The last departure point of the flight is unknown at this time. It is believed that the pilot's destination was merriville, Indiana.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N97JW (VARIEZE) WAS APPROXIMATELY 5 MILES SOUTH OF GARY AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT CALLED AND ADVISED THEM THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOSING POWER. N97JW LANDED ON RIDGE ROAD AND CLEVELAND, PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND AIRCRAFT HAD SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. AFTER AIRCRAFT WAS MOVED FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE TO A HANGAR, INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT FUEL TANK, RIGHT FUEL TANK WAS EMPTY. LEFT FUEL TANK WAS FOUND TO BE EMPTY ALSO. THE AUXILIARY TANK WAS THE ONLY FUEL TANK CONTAINING FUEL. (.19) ON APRIL 14, 2002, AT 2100 CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME, A VARIEZE, N97JW, OPERATED BY A PRIVATE PILOT COLLIDED WITH A TELEPHONE POLE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED BEAR THE INTERSECTION OF RIDGE AND CLEVELAND ROADS IN GARY, INDIANA. THE PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED SERIOUS INJURIES AND THE AIRPLANE WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. THE 14 CFR PART 91 FLIGHT WAS OPERATING IN VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND IT IS UNKNOWN IF A FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED. THE LAST DEPARTURE POINT OF THE FLIGHT IS UNKNOWN AT THIS TIME. IT IS BELIEVED THAT THE PILOT'S DESTINATION WAS MERRIVILLE, INDIANA.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.