On June 24, 1990, a Beech BE-23 (registration N3674Q) operated by Raymond Fagamo was involved in an aviation accident near West Milford, NJ. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT WHILE MAKING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot planned a four-hour flight with 60 gallons of fuel, but after an overnight stop, did not visually inspect the tanks. Less than four hours into the flight, the engine lost power in the traffic pattern, surged briefly, and quit. The aircraft landed long and departed the runway into trees.
Flight Planning and Fuel Management
The pilot had planned a four-hour cross-country flight, carrying 60 gallons of fuel. After two hours of flight, the pilot stopped overnight. Before departing the following day, the pilot did not visually check the fuel tanks.
Loss of Engine Power
After less than four hours of flight, the engine lost power while the aircraft was in the traffic pattern. The pilot attempted to slip toward the runway. Just above the runway, the engine surged for a few seconds and then quit again.
Landing and Runway Excursion
The aircraft landed long and ran off the departure end of the runway, encountering trees beyond the runway surface.