What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The aircraft departed ottawa executive airport (Z98), zeeland, mi at approximately 2240 UTC with a planned destination of lamar municipal airport (kllu), lamar, MO. The pilot did not file a flight plan or communicate with ATC during the flight. During the latter part of the flight, in the southwest Missouri area, the pilot became concerned about low fuel and began calling various airports on their common traffic advisory frequencies. When he could not locate any nearby airport that had fuel available, he diverted to Bolivar Municipal Airport, (M17) Bolivar, MO. As the aircraft approached Bolivar, the left tank ran dry. Prior to entering downwind to runway 36, the right tank ran dry. The aircraft struck a tree located on a golf course approximately 1/4 mile south of the Bolivar airport as the pilot maneuvered for a forced landing. (-23 amendment) during the latter part of the flight, in the southwest Missouri area, the pilot became concerned about low fuel and contacted the airport manager at el dorado springs memorial airport (87K) at el dorado springs, MO on their common traffic advisory frequency. The pilot then diverted t o the nearest available airport, which was Bolivar Municipal Airport (M17), Bolivar, MO, after he determined that fuel was not available at 87K. The left tank ran dry as the aircraft approached M17. Prior to entering downwind to runway 36, the right tank ran dry. As the pilot manuevered for a forced landing, the aircraft lost too much altitude on final approach to runway 36 and struck a tree located on a golf course approximately 1/2 mile south of M17.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED OTTAWA EXECUTIVE AIRPORT (Z98), ZEELAND, MI AT APPROXIMATELY 2240 UTC WITH A PLANNED DESTINATION OF LAMAR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (KLLU), LAMAR, MO. THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A FLIGHT PLAN OR COMMUNICATE WITH ATC DURING THE FLIGHT. DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE FLIGHT, IN THE SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AREA, THE PILOT BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT LOW FUEL AND BEGAN CALLING VARIOUS AIRPORTS ON THEIR COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCIES. WHEN HE COULD NOT LOCATE ANY NEARBY AIRPORT THAT HAD FUEL AVAILABLE, HE DIVERTED TO BOLIVAR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT, (M17) BOLIVAR, MO. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED BOLIVAR, THE LEFT TANK RAN DRY. PRIOR TO ENTERING DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 36, THE RIGHT TANK RAN DRY. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE LOCATED ON A GOLF COURSE APPROXIMATELY 1/4 MILE SOUTH OF THE BOLIVAR AIRPORT AS THE PILOT MANEUVERED FOR A FORCED LANDING. (-23 AMENDMENT) DURING THE LATTER PART OF THE FLIGHT, IN THE SOUTHWEST MISSOURI AREA, THE PILOT BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT LOW FUEL AND CONTACTED THE AIRPORT MANAGER AT EL DORADO SPRINGS MEMORIAL AIRPORT (87K) AT EL DORADO SPRINGS, MO ON THEIR COMMON TRAFFIC ADVISORY FREQUENCY. THE PILOT THEN DIVERTED T O THE NEAREST AVAILABLE AIRPORT, WHICH WAS BOLIVAR MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (M17), BOLIVAR, MO, AFTER HE DETERMINED THAT FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE AT 87K. THE LEFT TANK RAN DRY AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED M17. PRIOR TO ENTERING DOWNWIND TO RUNWAY 36, THE RIGHT TANK RAN DRY. AS THE PILOT MANUEVERED FOR A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT LOST TOO MUCH ALTITUDE ON FINAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36 AND STRUCK A TREE LOCATED ON A GOLF COURSE APPROXIMATELY 1/2 MILE SOUTH OF M17.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.