What happened
The pilot initiated radio contact with air traffic control and immediately reported that his aircraft was running low on fuel. He requested clearance for an Instrument Landing System (ILS) approach to the airport. The controller cleared him toward the final approach course.
As the aircraft approached the outer marker, the controller observed the plane's altitude was dangerously low relative to its position and instructed the pilot to climb immediately. The pilot executed a northerly turn in response. When the controller asked for his intentions, the pilot reiterated his desire to complete the ILS approach to the airport.
The controller provided new vectors to guide the aircraft back to the ILS localizer. At this point, the pilot reported that he was descending through a hole in the visual meteorological conditions (VMC). Shortly after, radar contact with the aircraft was lost. Because direct communication was no longer possible via standard frequencies, the controller utilized another aircraft to relay messages to the pilot.
The pilot confirmed again that he was low on fuel. The controller advised him to squawk transponder code 7700 to indicate a general emergency. He was further instructed that if he could not reach another airport, he should locate a flat area and land immediately. The pilot identified a dry wash and performed an emergency landing there. While taxiing the aircraft toward higher ground after touchdown, the right wing struck a fence.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the sequence of events leading to the loss of radar contact and the subsequent off-airport landing. Investigators examined the controller's instructions regarding the ILS approach and the pilot's responses during the emergency. The mechanical condition of the aircraft was assessed after recovery, noting damage to the right wing from the fence strike.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to the incident were the fuel exhaustion that necessitated an emergency landing and the loss of radar contact which complicated air traffic control assistance. The pilot's decision to land in a dry wash was a direct result of the fuel state and the inability to reach a paved runway. The damage to the aircraft occurred during the post-landing taxi phase, not during the initial impact with the ground.