What happened
The aircraft owner had not piloted an airplane since 1980 and was undergoing instruction to regain currency. The flight was also intended to serve as a biennial flight review. The aircraft had previously been rebuilt following a forced landing and had recently passed its annual inspection. A flight instructor delivered the airplane for this trip.
Operations proceeded normally until the pilot attempted to lower the landing gear. When the gear failed to extend, the pilot initiated a go-around. After resetting the circuit breakers, the gear was successfully extended. During the turn to final approach, the engine stopped, resulting in a forced landing short of the runway.
The investigation
Post-acc examination revealed that the fuel tanks were empty. The tanks had collapsed upward significantly enough that the fuel quantity senders falsely indicated fuel remained. Investigators found insects blocking the fuel tank vents.