NTSB Factual Report

On June 6, 2002, at 2051 central daylight time, an Eskildsen P, N2882, piloted by a private pilot, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a total loss of engine power. The pilot was attempting to land on a street in Olathe, Kansas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was uninjured. The local flight originated from the Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC), Olathe, Kansas, at 1940.

The pilot stated in a written statement, "...Shortly after tower told me to report right base 18 the engine completely stop producing power, prop continues to windmill. The fuel gage( cork on a wire in fuel cap still showed more than a quarter tank of fuel in tank. I quickly pumped the throttle to active the carb pump and the engine responded with a couple of busts of power leading me to believe I was out of gas and only the fuel in the carb. bowl producing the temporary power. I had visual site of ojc and judged at me altitude of 3,500 [feet] I could not make the field." The pilot further stated, "...I approached 157thfrom the south 'midfield' on a heading of approx.340 degrees, with altitude and airspeed deteriorating rapidly , I was intensely concentrating on not stalling on my 'base to final' -270 degree heading, turn. Using nearly full input on both the rudder and ailerons to keep from rolling I made a somewhat skidding turn and missed lining up with the street by about 10 degrees. I came to a full stall I think about fifteen feet or so above the ground and pancaked onto a gravel parking lot springing the gear out both sides, slid about 15 feet over a 6 inch concrete curb wiping the gear completely into a retracted position. My upper and lower right wings struck a 6x6 wood porch post on the front of the building and started turning me in a clock wise direction. The second 6x6 post continued my rotation in a clock wise motion just as the prop and nosecone impacted the brick veneer front of the building. Upon striking the front of the building the aircraft bounced off of the building coming to rest about seven feet from the building with a heading of almost 180 from my approach. (sic)"

The Federal Aviation Administration inspector's examination of the fuel system revealed that there was no fuel in the fuel tanks.

NTSB Probable Cause

The pilot's improper planning and decision making during the emergency descent and landing. The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot's inadvertent stall were contributing factors.