Incident Details
The pilot filed and activated an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan. Approximately 3.2 hours into the flight, while descending for a landing approach, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing, during which the airplane struck an embankment and sustained damage.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed two gallons of fuel in the right wing fuel tank. The left wing fuel line was separated at the wing root, and no evidence of fuel spillage was observed at the accident site. The fuel selector valve was found in the left wing fuel tank position. Additionally, the mixture control was in the rich position, the magneto switch was set to "both," and the flaps were found retracted.
Fuel Consumption Calculation
According to the engine manual, at 2,400 rpm, full throttle, and mixture rich, the engine consumes 15 gallons of fuel per hour. At this rate, the engine would have consumed 48 gallons of fuel during the 3.2-hour flight. The airplane's usable fuel capacity was also 48 gallons.