What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) N7855R departed sjc for cos. Pilot diverted to apa due to weather. Pilot flew the ILS 35R apa approach circle to land runway 17L. According to the pilot on base to final aircraft engine lost power. The aircraft crash landed in a parking lot north and west of the approach end of runway 17L. The pilot received minor injuries, and the aircraft received substantial damage. Three unoccupied parked cars and a light pole were hit and damaged during the landing. There was a small post crash fire in the engine compartment which the pilot extinguished with his hand fire extinguisher. There were no ground injuries. Investigation indicated the fuel selector was on the left main tank. 12 gallons of fuel were drained from each main tank and the tip tanks were empty. The mixture props and throttle were in the full forward position. The fuel boost pump was off and tip tank transferred pump were found in the off position. The pilot stated on a subsequent interview that he did not touch any control after the crash. He had a fire so he exited through the baggage compartment because he could not get the entry door open. Then he went back in grabbed the fire extinguisher from behind the seat and put the fire out.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) N7855R DEPARTED SJC FOR COS. PILOT DIVERTED TO APA DUE TO WEATHER. PILOT FLEW THE ILS 35R APA APPROACH CIRCLE TO LAND RUNWAY 17L. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT ON BASE TO FINAL AIRCRAFT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE AIRCRAFT CRASH LANDED IN A PARKING LOT NORTH AND WEST OF THE APPROACH END OF RUNWAY 17L. THE PILOT RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES, AND THE AIRCRAFT RECEIVED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. THREE UNOCCUPIED PARKED CARS AND A LIGHT POLE WERE HIT AND DAMAGED DURING THE LANDING. THERE WAS A SMALL POST CRASH FIRE IN THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT WHICH THE PILOT EXTINGUISHED WITH HIS HAND FIRE EXTINGUISHER. THERE WERE NO GROUND INJURIES. INVESTIGATION INDICATED THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT MAIN TANK. 12 GALLONS OF FUEL WERE DRAINED FROM EACH MAIN TANK AND THE TIP TANKS WERE EMPTY. THE MIXTURE PROPS AND THROTTLE WERE IN THE FULL FORWARD POSITION. THE FUEL BOOST PUMP WAS OFF AND TIP TANK TRANSFERRED PUMP WERE FOUND IN THE OFF POSITION. THE PILOT STATED ON A SUBSEQUENT INTERVIEW THAT HE DID NOT TOUCH ANY CONTROL AFTER THE CRASH. HE HAD A FIRE SO HE EXITED THROUGH THE BAGGAGE COMPARTMENT BECAUSE HE COULD NOT GET THE ENTRY DOOR OPEN. THEN HE WENT BACK IN GRABBED THE FIRE EXTINGUISHER FROM BEHIND THE SEAT AND PUT THE FIRE OUT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.