Incident Overview
An airplane, recently having undergone a rebuild after a previous forced landing and a fresh annual inspection, was being used to provide flight instruction. The aircraft owner had not flown since 1980 and was receiving instruction to regain currency and to complete a biennial flight review (BFR) during this trip. The flight instructor had delivered the airplane.
Flight Sequence
The flight progressed normally until the landing gear handle was selected to extend the gear. When the gear did not extend, the crew executed a go-around. After resetting circuit breakers, the gear extended successfully. However, during the turn to final approach, the engine lost power. The airplane performed a forced landing and touched down short of the runway.
Post-Inspection Findings
Inspection after the forced landing revealed that the fuel tanks were empty. Additionally, the tanks had collapsed upward to such an extent that the fuel quantity senders were indicating that fuel remained in the tanks. Further examination discovered that the fuel tank vents were plugged with insects, preventing proper venting and fuel flow.
No Additional Details
The source does not specify the aircraft type, registration, engine count, date, operator, location, occupants, injuries, damage, time of day, weather, or ATC involvement.