Accident Overview
The accident involved an airplane that suffered a partial loss of engine power during flight. The pilot subsequently conducted a forced landing, during which the aircraft impacted trees and the terrain before coming to rest.
Pilot Statements
The pilot reported the power loss to a physician, describing it as a loss of approximately 70% of engine power. In a later statement to an attorney, the pilot indicated that the airplane had experienced fuel exhaustion.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, an examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that were not associated with the impact. Emergency responders and Federal Aviation Administration inspectors arrived at the scene within two hours of the accident. They observed no fuel leaking from the airplane and detected no odor of fuel. Inspection of the left fuel tank showed that it contained only unusable fuel. The fuel selector was found positioned to the left fuel tank.
Conclusion
The investigation did not identify any pre-impact mechanical issues. The combination of pilot reports and post-accident fuel findings suggests the power loss may be linked to fuel availability, but no definitive cause was stated in the source.