Accident Details
The pilot of a single-engine airplane reported that after climbing to approximately 2,500 feet, the engine lost power. He selected an open field and maneuvered the aircraft to clear power lines. After landing in the field, the airplane struck a pipe fence that bordered the field adjacent to a highway. The impact caused the airplane to flip over, and it came to rest on the westbound lane of the highway.
Fuel Analysis
Flight log entries document that the airplane was fueled to its capacity of 38 gallons at a Hobbs meter reading of 21.3 hours. Subsequently, an additional 5 gallons of fuel was added at a Hobbs reading of 24.5 hours. At the time of the accident, the Hobbs meter indicated 26.0 hours. According to the Lycoming Model O-320 engine Operator's Manual, the fuel consumption rate at 2,450 RPM is 10.0 gallons per hour. Using the Hobbs times, the airplane operated for approximately 4.7 hours from the refuelings to the accident. At a burn rate of 10 gph, the airplane would have consumed about 47 gallons of fuel over 4.7 hours. The total fuel added from the two refuelings was 42 gallons (38 + 5), indicating a discrepancy of about 5 gallons between the fuel available and the calculated consumption.
Pilot Information
The pilot held approximately 4,000 hours of flight experience.