What happened
At 1830 PST, a Cessna departed from Van Nuys, CA, en route to Oakland, CA. The flight plan included a scheduled passenger stop at Hayward, CA.
While flying toward Hayward, the pilot reported that the engine lost power at approximately 2150 PST. In response to the loss of power, the pilot attempted to divert to the nearest airport located in San Jose, CA. However, the aircraft was unable to reach the destination. During an emergency landing attempt at night, the aircraft collided with trees and a building before coming to rest in a parking lot.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that only approximately 1-1/4 gallons of fuel remained in the tanks. According to the Cessna operating manual, 1-1/2 gallons of fuel is classified as unusable. Investigators found no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft following the accident, and there were no reported mechanical failures or malfunctions.