Incident Overview
A pilot completed customs clearance at an airport but elected not to refuel there. The flight continued for an additional 110 nautical miles to reach a different airport for refueling. As the airplane turned onto final approach for landing, the engine quit. The pilot subsequently landed the airplane in nearby trees.
Fuel and Engine Findings
After the landing, approximately 5 gallons of fuel were drained from the fuel tanks. The pilot handbook for the aircraft states that 5 gallons of fuel is considered unusable. The engine was later removed and placed in a test cell. In the test cell, the engine started easily and ran to full power with normal indications.
Circumstances of the Flight
The pilot had flown from another airport after clearing customs, but chose not to take on fuel at that location. Instead, the flight plan included an additional 110 nautical miles to a different airport where refueling was intended. During the final approach phase, as the airplane turned toward the runway, the engine lost power. With no altitude to restore power, the pilot performed an emergency landing in trees.
Fuel Analysis
After the incident, investigators drained approximately 5 gallons of fuel from the aircraft's tanks. According to the pilot's operating handbook for the aircraft, 5 gallons is the designated unusable fuel quantity. This indicates that the fuel remaining in the tanks was not available for engine operation.
Engine Test
The engine was removed for testing. In a test cell environment, the engine started without difficulty and was run up to full rated power. The engine's indications remained normal throughout the test, showing no anomalies that would explain the in-flight power loss.
Conclusion
The report does not identify a probable cause. The engine performed normally under controlled conditions, and the fuel remaining was equal to the listed unusable amount. No other contributing factors were mentioned.