What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
While on a direct VFR flight from tupelo, ms to weatherford, TX, the right tank of the PA-28 aircraft ran out of fuel at approximately 40 minutes from the destination. The pilot then switched to the left tank and continued the flight with the remaining fuel. When the engine began to sputter just east of dallas, the pilot became concerned and declared an emergency with ATC. While receiving vectors to divert to Addison airport, the engine lost power and the pilot announced he could not make the airport. The pilot chose an empty parking lot and proceeded to make an emergency landing approximately 1.5 miles northeast of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage resulting from clipping a tree on its final descent, hard impact with the ground, and subsequent collision with the concrete base of a light pole. A small engine fire ensued after landing but was reportedly immediately put out.
As the FAA filed it
WHILE ON A DIRECT VFR FLIGHT FROM TUPELO, MS TO WEATHERFORD, TX, THE RIGHT TANK OF THE PA-28 AIRCRAFT RAN OUT OF FUEL AT APPROXIMATELY 40 MINUTES FROM THE DESTINATION. THE PILOT THEN SWITCHED TO THE LEFT TANK AND CONTINUED THE FLIGHT WITH THE REMAINING FUEL. WHEN THE ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER JUST EAST OF DALLAS, THE PILOT BECAME CONCERNED AND DECLARED AN EMERGENCY WITH ATC. WHILE RECEIVING VECTORS TO DIVERT TO ADDISON AIRPORT, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE PILOT ANNOUNCED HE COULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT CHOSE AN EMPTY PARKING LOT AND PROCEEDED TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE RESULTING FROM CLIPPING A TREE ON ITS FINAL DESCENT, HARD IMPACT WITH THE GROUND, AND SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE CONCRETE BASE OF A LIGHT POLE. A SMALL ENGINE FIRE ENSUED AFTER LANDING BUT WAS REPORTEDLY IMMEDIATELY PUT 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.