Incident Details
The aircraft lost power and collided with terrain 50 yards short of the runway. On final approach, the pilot perceived the aircraft was too high and executed a left wing low slip. After descending to the desired altitude, he attempted to reduce the sink rate by applying power. However, the engine did not respond to throttle input. The aircraft landed short and nosed over.
Fuel System and Pilot Actions
En route, the pilot operated the fuel selector in various positions. During the traffic pattern entry on a right downwind, he selected the left tank. The aircraft's operating manual specifies that the fuel selector should be set to both tanks for takeoff and landing.
Certifications and Warnings
The aircraft was using automotive fuel under Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SA694GL. The STC documentation includes a caution: "DO NOT OPEN A CARBURETOR THROTTLE ABRUPTLY AFTER IDLING IN FLIGHT. TO DO SO MAY CAUSE THE ENGINE TO STOP." This warning is relevant to the circumstances of the incident.