Incident Overview
During a descent, the pilot of a single-engine airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot executed a forced landing to an open area. However, during the landing attempt, the airplane stalled and collided with the ground.
Fuel Examination
Following the accident, recovery personnel examined the fuel system. The left and right fuel tanks each contained one gallon or less of fuel. The gasculator, a component of the fuel system, was found to contain no fuel. According to the operator's manual, each fuel tank has 1.5 gallons of unusable fuel. This indicates that the usable fuel quantity was effectively zero at the time of the power loss.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that the engine power loss was total and occurred without warning during the descent phase of flight. The pilot's account is consistent with the fuel findings, which suggest fuel exhaustion as the reason for the power loss.