What happened
The pilot departed with approximately 15 gallons of fuel on board. After flying for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, the Piper PA-18 experienced a loss of engine power when the aircraft was roughly one mile from the airport. As the pilot prepared for a forced landing in a field, the left fuel gauge indicated 1/8-full, while the right fuel gauge indicated slightly less than 1/4-full.
During the landing rollout, the pilot applied right rudder to maintain alignment with the field, which caused the aircraft to nose-over. There were no fatalities reported in this incident.
The investigation
An on-scene examination of the aircraft revealed no mechanical malfunctions prior to impact. During the recovery process, it was observed that very little fuel remained in the tanks. The fuel vent system utilized drilled holes in the fuel tank caps, and vegetation near the fuel tanks showed discoloration and an odor consistent with aviation fuel.
A subsequent engine test run on the airframe, using its own fuel system, was performed. The engine started and operated through various power settings for several minutes without any noted abnormalities. According to the manufacturer's handbook, the fuel consumption for this aircraft is 9 gallons per hour.