Flight History
The airplane was serviced with a full load of fuel and subsequently completed two flights without incident. The pilot then departed on a third flight. After completing the en route portion and while preparing to land, the engine lost all power.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
The pilot was unable to restart the engine and executed a forced landing to a field. During the landing, the airplane touched down and rolled about 400 feet. The nose wheel then collapsed, causing the airplane to come to a sudden stop.
Post-Accident Examination
Investigation revealed that the accident flight was conducted with the fuel selector positioned to the right outboard tank. At engine start, the selected tank contained approximately 23.5 gallons of usable fuel. Fuel calculations performed during the investigation indicated that approximately 22.0 gallons of fuel were required to complete the flight with no reserve. Examination of the wreckage found that the right outboard fuel tank was intact and empty.