Accident Overview
A pilot departing from his home airport topped off the main fuel tanks before departure. The flight departed with both fuel selectors positioned to "Main." After approximately two hours of flight, the pilot was approaching his home airport, and the fuel selectors remained on "Main." While descending from 6,000 feet to 4,000 feet, the engine "hiccupped" and then experienced several minor power surges before losing total power.
Pilot Actions
The pilot established a proper glide speed and attempted a straight-in approach for the nearest runway at the home airport. During the glide, the pilot completed the emergency checklist items, which included verification that the electric fuel pump was on and cycling the fuel selectors through all tanks. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and continued the glide toward runway 23. The pilot maintained glide speed, but the airplane impacted small trees about 2,500 to 3,000 feet prior to the runway.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Fuel was observed in all fuel tanks, and fuel was present from the selector valve, to the fuel servo, to the flow divider. When power was applied to the electric fuel pump, it operated continuously. Further examination of the engine revealed that the throttle idle adjustment bushing was missing. However, it was unknown if the bushing separated during flight or during the forced landing. Subsequently, a flow test of the fuel servo and flow divider did not reveal any discrepancies that would have resulted in a total loss of engine power.