What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) On August 10, 2008, at approximately 2005 AKDT, the pilot of N98HA landed at the gustavus airport to refuel. At approximately 2051 AKDT, N98HA departed gustavus with the pilot stating that no one was there, he was going to Sitka, and had about one hour of fuel on board. Following a query by an ARTCC specialist the pilot elected to proceeded to juneau instead of Sitka. Following clearance to the lda approach to runway 08 at juneau, N98HA was unable to join the localizer course and was instructed to discontinue the approach and climb at which time the pilot was asked where he would like to go and how much fuel he had remaining. The pilot responded that he was going to Sitka and had about an hour to an hour and ten minutes of fuel. At approximately 2138 AKDT, the pilot stated to the ARTCC specialist that he was having left engine trouble. Moments later, N98HA impacted the terrain approximately 40 miles north of Sitka, AK after running out of fuel. Amendment to follow, per privacy data omitted. (-23 amendment) N98HA was inbound to gustavus IFR when the pilot descended contrary to his ATC clearance. He seemed confused over IFR procedures, but after counseling from anchorage center (zan), he landed without incident. The pilot had intended to refuel at gustavus and continue VFR to skagway. He could not find the self serve fuel pump, so departed gustavus without additional fuel. The pilot launched into IFR conditions without a clearance, and then contacted zan requesting a pop-up IFR clearance stating "I hope we have enough fuel." He estimated 1HR endurance. Zan asked the pilot if he had enough fuel, and if he would like to return to gustavus, but the pilot declined because "...the place is locked, we can't get no phone, no nothing". The pilot first attempted to fly an IFR approach into juneau, but was extremely confused by the IFR procedure and was ultimately unable to join the localizer course. The pilot then chose to fly to Sitka, hoping for an easier IFR approach. Zan again questioned the aircraft's fuel status and this time the pilot estimated more fuel onboard, with 1HR 10 minutes. 24 minutes later, N98HA reported engine trouble and crashed 25MI nw of Sitka due to fuel exhaustion.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) ON AUGUST 10, 2008, AT APPROXIMATELY 2005 AKDT, THE PILOT OF N98HA LANDED AT THE GUSTAVUS AIRPORT TO REFUEL. AT APPROXIMATELY 2051 AKDT, N98HA DEPARTED GUSTAVUS WITH THE PILOT STATING THAT NO ONE WAS THERE, HE WAS GOING TO SITKA, AND HAD ABOUT ONE HOUR OF FUEL ON BOARD. FOLLOWING A QUERY BY AN ARTCC SPECIALIST THE PILOT ELECTED TO PROCEEDED TO JUNEAU INSTEAD OF SITKA. FOLLOWING CLEARANCE TO THE LDA APPROACH TO RUNWAY 08 AT JUNEAU, N98HA WAS UNABLE TO JOIN THE LOCALIZER COURSE AND WAS INSTRUCTED TO DISCONTINUE THE APPROACH AND CLIMB AT WHICH TIME THE PILOT WAS ASKED WHERE HE WOULD LIKE TO GO AND HOW MUCH FUEL HE HAD REMAINING. THE PILOT RESPONDED THAT HE WAS GOING TO SITKA AND HAD ABOUT AN HOUR TO AN HOUR AND TEN MINUTES OF FUEL. AT APPROXIMATELY 2138 AKDT, THE PILOT STATED TO THE ARTCC SPECIALIST THAT HE WAS HAVING LEFT ENGINE TROUBLE. MOMENTS LATER, N98HA IMPACTED THE TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES NORTH OF SITKA, AK AFTER RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. AMENDMENT TO FOLLOW, PER ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. (-23 AMENDMENT) N98HA WAS INBOUND TO GUSTAVUS IFR WHEN THE PILOT DESCENDED CONTRARY TO HIS ATC CLEARANCE. HE SEEMED CONFUSED OVER IFR PROCEDURES, BUT AFTER COUNSELING FROM ANCHORAGE CENTER (ZAN), HE LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT. THE PILOT HAD INTENDED TO REFUEL AT GUSTAVUS AND CONTINUE VFR TO SKAGWAY. HE COULD NOT FIND THE SELF SERVE FUEL PUMP, SO DEPARTED GUSTAVUS WITHOUT ADDITIONAL FUEL. THE PILOT LAUNCHED INTO IFR CONDITIONS WITHOUT A CLEARANCE, AND THEN CONTACTED ZAN REQUESTING A POP-UP IFR CLEARANCE STATING "I HOPE WE HAVE ENOUGH FUEL." HE ESTIMATED 1HR ENDURANCE. ZAN ASKED THE PILOT IF HE HAD ENOUGH FUEL, AND IF HE WOULD LIKE TO RETURN TO GUSTAVUS, BUT THE PILOT DECLINED BECAUSE "...THE PLACE IS LOCKED, WE CAN'T GET NO PHONE, NO NOTHING". THE PILOT FIRST ATTEMPTED TO FLY AN IFR APPROACH INTO JUNEAU, BUT WAS EXTREMELY CONFUSED BY THE IFR PROCEDURE AND WAS ULTIMATELY UNABLE TO JOIN THE LOCALIZER COURSE. THE PILOT THEN CHOSE TO FLY TO SITKA, HOPING FOR AN EASIER IFR APPROACH. ZAN AGAIN QUESTIONED THE AIRCRAFT'S FUEL STATUS AND THIS TIME THE PILOT ESTIMATED MORE FUEL ONBOARD, WITH 1HR 10 MINUTES. 24 MINUTES LATER, N98HA REPORTED ENGINE TROUBLE AND CRASHED 25MI NW OF SITKA DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.