What happened
The aircraft was operating on the final approach segment for landing during the return leg of a cross-country flight when the engine began to run roughly. The powerplant subsequently quit completely. Unable to maintain altitude or airspeed, the aircraft impacted trees located short of the runway.
Following the accident, the pilot reported that a total of 5 gallons of fuel were drained from both fuel tanks combined after the event occurred. Published specifications for this specific aircraft model indicate that approximately 10 gallons of unusable fuel remain in the system under normal operating conditions.
The investigation
Examination of the fuel systems revealed that the total quantity of fuel drained post-impact was significantly less than the documented unusable fuel capacity. This discrepancy suggests that the engine did not receive adequate fuel flow prior to shutdown, consistent with depletion of usable reserves.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was fuel exhaustion. The pilot failed to ensure sufficient fuel quantity for the planned flight, resulting in engine failure due to lack of fuel during a critical phase of flight. The impact with trees was a direct consequence of this power loss while on final approach.