What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On cross country flight from decatur, IL to litchfield, IL the student pilot became disoriented and lost, while the airman was searching for litchfield airport the aircraft engine experienced fuel exhaustion. Airman conducted an off airport landing in night VMC conditions. The selected landing site was short and the aircraft contacted a hedgerow during the landing roll resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft. The student pilot, the sole occupant, was uninjured.
As the FAA filed it
ON CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT FROM DECATUR, IL TO LITCHFIELD, IL THE STUDENT PILOT BECAME DISORIENTED AND LOST, WHILE THE AIRMAN WAS SEARCHING FOR LITCHFIELD AIRPORT THE AIRCRAFT ENGINE EXPERIENCED FUEL EXHAUSTION. AIRMAN CONDUCTED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING IN NIGHT VMC CONDITIONS. THE SELECTED LANDING SITE WAS SHORT AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED A HEDGEROW DURING THE LANDING ROLL RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT. THE STUDENT PILOT, THE SOLE OCCUPANT, WAS UNINJURED.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.