What happened
The pilot reported that while the aircraft was on final approach for landing, engine power had been reduced as part of the standard descent profile. During this phase, the aircraft began to descend below the intended glidepath. In response to the loss of altitude, the pilot advanced the throttle to restore power; however, no additional thrust was produced. An attempt to restart the engine while airborne was unsuccessful. Consequently, the aircraft landed short of the runway and collided with a dirt embankment.
The investigation
Following the accident, investigators conducted functional tests on the engine to determine the cause of the power loss. The post-crash examination revealed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction or failure that would have prevented normal engine operation. This finding indicated that the engine's inability to produce power was not due to internal mechanical defects.
Findings
The investigation determined that the engine failed under specific operational conditions. The failure occurred when the mixture control was set for smooth engine operation, the boost pump was in the off position, and the throttle was rapidly advanced from a low power setting to full power. This sequence of events suggests a fuel flow interruption rather than a mechanical failure.