What happened
While in the cruise phase of flight, the engine lost power. In response to the power loss, the pilot initiated an emergency landing on a dirt road. During the landing sequence, the airplane collided with trees, resulting in damage to the aircraft. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
An investigation by an FAA inspector and the pilot revealed that no fuel remained in the aircraft at the time of the incident. It was determined that the airplane should have reached its destination with adequate fuel reserves.
The FAA inspector confirmed that the fuel tank had not ruptured and contained only residual fuel. During the mechanical examination, several issues were identified: the carburetor bowl drain plug was missing, and the fuel line extending from the fuel tank to the firewall shut-off valve was found to be loose and leaking. It was also noted that the airplane had recently undergone an annual inspection following a period of extended storage.