Incident Overview
The pilot of a single-engine airplane reported that the aircraft was being flown to another field, approximately 40 miles away, for repairs to the left wing fuel tank. The pilot stated that he was burning fuel from that tank in preparation for the repairs. En route, the left tank ran dry and he switched to the right tank. However, the pilot also noted that impending weather forced him to abort the flight, so he turned back toward the departure airport.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
While on a 2-mile final approach to the runway, the engine quit. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field with tall wheat, and the airplane nosed over during the landing roll. The pilot reported that 20 minutes elapsed between his stated takeoff and landing times.
Post-Accident Inspection
Inspection of the airplane revealed that the fuel selector was on the right tank. All fuel was then drained from the airplane, yielding the following quantities: 1.5 gallons from the right tank, one quart from the left tank, and two ounces from the gascolator. After fuel was replaced in the airplane, the engine operated normally. The unusable fuel specified for the airplane is 10 gallons.