Incident Summary
An aircraft conducting flight operations encountered a loss of engine power after executing excessively steep turns at low altitude. The subsequent forced landing attempt resulted in the aircraft striking a tree, rolling inverted, and impacting the ground in a near-vertical nose-down attitude.
Fuel Level and Handbook Guidance
According to the investigation, the amount of fuel onboard at takeoff and the flight time indicated that the fuel in the tank being used had decreased to approximately one-quarter of a tank. The aircraft's handbook states that at this fuel level, fuel outlets can become uncovered during uncoordinated slips or skids, which can cause fuel starvation.
Sequence of Events
The aircraft initially performed maneuvers involving excessively steep turns at a low altitude. During these maneuvers, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted a forced landing, but the aircraft collided with a tree, rolled onto its back, and then struck the ground with a near-vertical nose-down orientation.