What happened
The flight ended when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power while airborne. In response to the emergency, the pilot initiated a forced landing procedure, selecting an open field as the intended touchdown zone. As the aircraft descended toward the ground, the pilot raised the nose attitude in an attempt to avoid trees located near the landing site.
This maneuver caused the airplane to stall at a low altitude. The subsequent impact with the ground was severe, characterized by a hard landing that subjected the airframe to excessive structural loads. The force of the collision resulted in the breaking of the left wing. Upon inspection following the accident, it was determined that there was no fuel present at the carburetor or in any fuel lines forward of the firewall.
The investigation
Post-acc examination of the aircraft's fuel system revealed critical discrepancies regarding the available fuel supply. The fuel selector valve was positioned to draw from the right tank. However, analysis showed that the right tank contained no more than three-quarters of a cup of fuel. Additionally, the left wing, which had been broken during the impact, was found to be pouring out remaining fuel, indicating that the majority of the aircraft's fuel load was lost through structural failure rather than engine consumption.
Findings
The sequence of events indicates that the power loss was caused by fuel exhaustion. The pilot did not have sufficient fuel available in the selected tank to complete the flight. The decision to pull up to avoid trees, while understandable, led to a stall at a critical phase of flight where recovery altitude was insufficient. The structural failure of the left wing during the hard impact further complicated the situation, though the primary cause remained the lack of usable fuel.
The investigation confirmed that fuel exhaustion was the definitive factor leading to the loss of power. The minimal amount of fuel remaining in the right tank (less than one cup) was insufficient for sustained flight operations. The broken left wing and the resulting spillage of fuel were consequences of the hard landing, not the cause of the engine failure.