Accident Sequence
During the base leg of a landing approach, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing on a road. During the landing, the left wing struck a road sign, and the airplane departed the road and collided with a wire fence.
The flight had a duration of 3 hours and 25 minutes. About 2 hours and 45 minutes into the flight, the pilot observed that the left fuel quantity indicator was indicating a low fuel quantity. The pilot stated that he discounted this indication because he had visually confirmed both fuel tanks were full prior to departure, and he elected to continue the flight.
Fuel System Examination
After the accident, the fuel selector was found positioned on the right tank. A quantity of 1 quart of fuel was drained from the right tank. The left fuel tank was ruptured, and the fuel quantity in that tank could not be determined. No evidence of fuel leakage was found on the lower or upper wing surfaces, the aircraft belly, or inside the engine compartment. Six months prior to the accident, the fuel gauges had been calibrated to ensure that they indicated empty when the fuel tanks were empty.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that he discounted the low fuel quantity indication during the flight. He had visually verified both tanks were full before departure, but the indication during flight suggested a low fuel state in the left tank. The pilot did not change the fuel selector position after the indication; it remained on the right tank throughout the flight.