Incident Overview
A pilot diverted to Possum Kingdom Airport near Graford, Texas, after being unable to locate his intended destination, Mineral Wells, Texas. The pilot stated that he could not see the airport due to the rotating beacon and runway lights not operating; a NOTAM had been issued to that effect. However, the airport supervisor later stated that to the best of his knowledge the runway lights were operating.
Diversion and Fuel Exhaustion
With only a few minutes of usable fuel remaining, the pilot flew to Possum Kingdom Airport. He arrived in the area at 7,000 feet MSL and began a spiral descent over the airport. During the spiral, at 6,000 feet MSL, the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The spiral continued, and the pilot rolled out on final approach too high and too fast.
Emergency Landing
To prevent an overrun that would have resulted in a collision with buildings, the pilot deliberately touched down beside the runway in soft terrain. The touchdown was rather hard, causing the nose and right main landing gears to collapse. The aircraft then flipped inverted and stopped.