What happened
During the initial descent, a private pilot operating an aircraft with three passengers aboard experienced a complete loss of all engine power. Following the loss of power, the pilot executed standard engine emergency procedures; however, these actions failed to restore engine functionality.
Unable to maintain flight, the pilot selected a forced landing site located within an area surrounded by trees. During the course of the forced landing, the left wing of the aircraft struck a stand of trees, causing the airplane to pivot to the left. All occupants were not injured in the accident.
The investigation
A postaccident investigation focused on the fuel system and engine mechanics. Investigators confirmed the presence of fuel within both wing tanks, the fuel lines, and the fuel manifold assembly. The cockpit fuel selector valve was found to be in the 'both' position at the time of the event.
Mechanical examination of the engine revealed no defects. To further verify engine performance, the engine was operated on September 7, 1999, while still mounted on the accident aircraft's airframe. During this test, no anomalies were observed, and the engine successfully produced its full factory-specified RPM.