Background
According to the pilot, the aircraft was serviced to the 50-gallon level, which corresponds to the bottom of the filler necks, before departing on the first leg of the flight to Ontario, Canada.
Incident
Approximately 14 miles from landing at Charleston, West Virginia, the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks, and the engine restarted. About 6 to 8 minutes later, the engine lost power again and would not restart. The terrain in the area was described as hilly and mountainous. During the subsequent emergency landing, the aircraft struck a tree, then impacted on a road and hit a utility pole before coming to a stop.
Investigation
An investigation revealed fuel streaks along the left side of the fuselage, aft of the engine cowling. Further examination found that the fuel pressure line, part number 21163-00, had failed inside the engine compartment. The line failed approximately 2.5 inches from where it connected to the fuel pressure hose assembly. A metallurgical examination determined that the line had failed due to fatigue.