On August 5, 2000, a Cessna 140 (registration N73044) was involved in an aviation accident near Post Mills, VT. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: was the pilot's improper fuel management which resulted in power loss due to fuel starvation. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
During a go-around following a fuel tank switch, the engine lost power. Unable to reach a suitable landing area, the airplane settled into trees. Investigation revealed an empty left tank and a broken sump on the right tank.
Accident Details
The pilot reported conducting a cross-country flight and entering the traffic pattern while operating on the left fuel tank. On base leg, the pilot switched to the right fuel tank. After turning final, the pilot initiated a go-around due to conflicting traffic. During the go-around, the engine sputtered and lost power. With insufficient altitude to reach a suitable landing area, the airplane settled into the trees in a nose-down attitude. The fuel selector was turned off as the airplane began hitting the trees.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that the left fuel tank was empty. When the cap on the right fuel tank was loosened, fuel gushed out around the edges of the cap. With the fuel selector positioned to the right tank, fuel flowed from the right tank to the sump, which was broken. The odor of fuel was detected in the air. The airplane had operated for 1 hour and 43 minutes on a fuel tank with a listed capacity of 12.5 gallons.