What happened
The pilot was operating a private aircraft on a cross-country flight when the engine began running roughly. Shortly thereafter, the engine stopped producing power entirely. Faced with this mechanical failure, the pilot executed an emergency landing in an area characterized by rough terrain.
During the accident sequence, both the pilot and a passenger sustained injuries. The severity of these injuries was not specified in the initial report, but their presence was confirmed upon examination of the scene.
The investigation
Following the accident, investigators examined the aircraft to determine the cause of the power loss. A thorough inspection of the fuel system revealed that there was no fuel remaining in either of the aircraft's fuel tanks at the time of the incident.
This finding indicated that the engine had ceased operation due to a lack of fuel supply rather than a mechanical malfunction or external factor.
Findings
The examination of the aircraft components and the flight conditions pointed to a specific cause for the power loss. The absence of fuel in both tanks was the primary factor leading to the engine stoppage.
- fuel exhaustion
The pilot's decision-making regarding fuel management during the cross-country phase of flight was critical to the outcome of the event.