Incident Summary
A pilot departed Sacramento with tip tanks empty and main and auxiliary fuel tanks full, providing approximately 57 gallons of usable fuel. The pilot used the left main tank for the first 35 minutes of flight, then switched to the right main tank for the remaining 15 minutes to Redding. Approximately 20 minutes after departing Redding, the engine stopped. A forced landing was attempted on a freeway overpass, during which the left wing contacted a cement guard rail. The aircraft then traveled off the overpass and came to rest on a grass incline.
Examination Findings
Post-incident examination revealed that the right main fuel tank was empty, while the left main, left auxiliary, and right auxiliary tanks remained full. The electric fuel boost pump operated intermittently, requiring manual operation of a hand pump to start the engine. A terminal wire was found loose on the boost pump breaker switch, which allowed the switch to fail under load conditions. No other mechanical failure or malfunction was identified.
Additional Details
The pilot reported that the engine failure occurred without prior indication. The forced landing maneuver resulted in the aircraft leaving the overpass after striking the guard rail. The specific aircraft type, registration, operator, and number of occupants were not disclosed in the available information. No injuries were reported in the source.