Incident Overview
An aircraft was approaching an airport for runway 21 when air traffic control cleared the pilot to land on runway 30 instead. The pilot stated that he attempted to add power to extend his approach, but the engine seemed to drop to idle. He then maneuvered to land on runway 21 and extended the landing gear, but the aircraft touched down approximately 60 feet short of the runway.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported that before takeoff, the aircraft had 45 gallons of fuel onboard.
Postcrash Examination
During the postcrash aircraft examination, the fuel selector was found to have no noticeable detent when moved from position to position, and the placards on the fuel selector were illegible. Inspectors found no visible fuel in the left auxiliary tank and only a trace of fuel in the right auxiliary tank. A stick test of the main tanks indicated approximately 4 inches of fuel in both the right and left main tanks.
Engine Inspection
An examination of the engine revealed no abnormalities that would have prevented the engine from running.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was stated in the investigation source.