Incident Overview
A pilot reported that after approximately 3 hours and 15 minutes of flight, while descending from 7,000 feet to an assigned altitude of 5,000 feet, the throttle became unresponsive and the engine appeared to generate no power. The pilot declared an emergency and executed a gear-up landing, touching down about 100 feet short of the runway.
Fuel Status Examination
Post-incident examination by the pilot revealed that the right main fuel tank contained less than 2 gallons of fuel. The pilot had been operating the aircraft on the right main tank when the engine stopped. The left main tank held over 20 gallons of fuel. A licensed FAA aircraft mechanic subsequently examined the aircraft and found a maximum of about half a gallon of fuel remaining in the right main tank, along with debris, while the left tank contained approximately 18 gallons.
Mechanical Inspection
The mechanic conducted a detailed inspection of the aircraft's induction, fuel, and ignition systems and reported no malfunctions. The aircraft sustained substantial damage during the landing.