What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Pilot was returning from mammoth lakes. Flight to mammoth took 2.7 hr. Pilot had fuel tanks topped in mammoth. Took 26 gal. (Verified by FBO at mmh) plane has 48 gal usable fuel. Pilot planned fuel for 3.25 hr return flight: approx 33-35 gal total. Time enroute when fuel ran out about 3.7 hr. Pilot said right tank ran empty north of oceanside VOR. He switched to left tank. He was on top of overcast and requested ILS approach to palomar (crq). He did not advise ATC of fuel situation. Left tank was indicating about 1/8 tank when engine quit over Escondido. Flight conditions were clear in that area and pilot was able to make emergency landing on I-15 freeway: approximately 9 miles east of crq, in VMC conditions. Pilot was able to roll plane onto right shoulder of freeway. Left wing was protruding about 3-4 ft. into FAR right lane. A passing pickup truck struck the left wingtip as pilot and passengers were exiting the plane. There were no injuries.
As the FAA filed it
PILOT WAS RETURNING FROM MAMMOTH LAKES. FLIGHT TO MAMMOTH TOOK 2.7 HR. PILOT HAD FUEL TANKS TOPPED IN MAMMOTH. TOOK 26 GAL. (VERIFIED BY FBO AT MMH) PLANE HAS 48 GAL USABLE FUEL. PILOT PLANNED FUEL FOR 3.25 HR RETURN FLIGHT: APPROX 33-35 GAL TOTAL. TIME ENROUTE WHEN FUEL RAN OUT ABOUT 3.7 HR. PILOT SAID RIGHT TANK RAN EMPTY NORTH OF OCEANSIDE VOR. HE SWITCHED TO LEFT TANK. HE WAS ON TOP OF OVERCAST AND REQUESTED ILS APPROACH TO PALOMAR (CRQ). HE DID NOT ADVISE ATC OF FUEL SITUATION. LEFT TANK WAS INDICATING ABOUT 1/8 TANK WHEN ENGINE QUIT OVER ESCONDIDO. FLIGHT CONDITIONS WERE CLEAR IN THAT AREA AND PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAKE EMERGENCY LANDING ON I-15 FREEWAY: APPROXIMATELY 9 MILES EAST OF CRQ, IN VMC CONDITIONS. PILOT WAS ABLE TO ROLL PLANE ONTO RIGHT SHOULDER OF FREEWAY. LEFT WING WAS PROTRUDING ABOUT 3-4 FT. INTO FAR RIGHT LANE. A PASSING PICKUP TRUCK STRUCK THE LEFT WINGTIP AS PILOT AND PASSENGERS WERE EXITING THE PLANE. THERE WERE NO INJURIES.
Other reports on N4906J · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.