Synopsis
A pilot flying a single-engine airplane experienced a loss of engine power during the final phase of a flight. The incident occurred while the pilot was en route to the initial departure airport after a stop to wait out adverse weather.
Sequence of Events
The pilot had flown for approximately three hours before encountering weather conditions that necessitated a landing. After waiting about 30 minutes for conditions to improve, the pilot resumed the flight. Shortly thereafter, the engine lost power. The pilot performed restart procedures, and the engine regained power momentarily before quitting again. With no power available, the pilot selected a public road as an emergency landing area. During the descent, the airplane collided with utility wires.
Fuel Status
The pilot reported that the airplane had been flown approximately three hours and thirty-six minutes since the last refueling. Initially, the pilot believed he had departed with six hours of fuel, but later realized the airplane's usable fuel capacity was only 24 gallons. At an average fuel consumption rate of about six gallons per hour, the aircraft could fly for approximately four hours on a full tank. An examination of the undamaged fuel tank system found no fuel remaining.
Pilot Report
The pilot stated that the entire flight was conducted at an altitude of 2,000 feet with engine settings of 2,300 rpm and the mixture control in the full rich position.