Incident Overview
During the arrival phase of the flight, the pilot had descended to remain below the Terminal Control Area (TCA) and was approaching the destination airport when the engine lost power. The pilot turned back toward Hayward Airport but was unable to reach it or restart the engine. A forced landing was conducted at night, during which the aircraft sustained damage.
Aircraft and Fuel Information
The aircraft was equipped with long-range fuel tanks. After the incident, approximately 5 gallons of fuel remained in the left tank and between 2 and 3 gallons in the right tank. The unusable fuel quantity for each tank was 2.5 gallons. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found during the examination.
Conclusion
The post-accident inspection revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction prior to impact. The available fuel was insufficient for continued flight, leading to the power loss.