What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 5, 2006, about 12:50 eastern standard time, aircraft N7533F, champion-7-kcab, owned and operated by the pilot privacy data omitted, was towing a banner over the water outside of Hyannis harbor, MA. The pilot reported engine problems before it crash landed in the water. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The pilot believed that the aircraft was full of fuel. He monitored the fuel burn via the fuel computer; however, he did not monitor the fuel gauge in level flight, as he normally does. It was not until well after the accident when he was able to speak with the pilot who had previously flown the aircraft that he realized the possibility that he had run out of fuel. The pilot privacy data omitted found out that the previous pilot who had flown the aircraft performed some training flying, but he did not refill the fuel tanks, and apparently did reset the fuel computer to full during his demonstration.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 5, 2006, ABOUT 12:50 EASTERN STANDARD TIME, AIRCRAFT N7533F, CHAMPION-7-KCAB, OWNED AND OPERATED BY THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DATA O^, WAS TOWING A BANNER OVER THE WATER OUTSIDE OF HYANNIS HARBOR, MA. THE PILOT REPORTED ENGINE PROBLEMS BEFORE IT CRASH LANDED IN THE WATER. THE AIRCRAFT INCURRED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS FULL OF FUEL. HE MONITORED THE FUEL BURN VIA THE FUEL COMPUTER; HOWEVER, HE DID NOT MONITOR THE FUEL GAUGE IN LEVEL FLIGHT, AS HE NORMALLY DOES. IT WAS NOT UNTIL WELL AFTER THE ACCIDENT WHEN HE WAS ABLE TO SPEAK WITH THE PILOT WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT THAT HE REALIZED THE POSSIBILITY THAT HE HAD RUN OUT OF FUEL. THE PILOT ^PRIVACY DA^ FOUND OUT THAT THE PREVIOUS PILOT WHO HAD FLOWN THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMED SOME TRAINING FLYING, BUT HE DID NOT REFILL THE FUEL TANKS, AND APPARENTLY DID RESET THE FUEL COMPUTER TO FULL DURING HIS DEMONSTRATION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.