What happened
The pilot, who possessed approximately 2,500 hours of flight time, was conducting cruise flight when the engine experienced a sudden loss of power. At the time of the incident, the aircraft was operating within instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). As the airplane descended and broke out below the cloud layer, the pilot identified a small field suitable for an emergency landing and initiated a forced landing procedure.
The investigation
Following the accident, a fixed base operator (FBO) employee provided a statement regarding the refueling process prior to the flight. The employee admitted to making a critical error during the fueling operation. Instead of loading the specified 100 Low Lead aviation gasoline, the employee mistakenly pumped 53-gallons of Jet-A fuel into the aircraft's tanks.
Findings
The investigation determined that the engine failure was directly caused by the use of incorrect fuel type. The installation of Jet-A turbine fuel in a piston-engine aircraft resulted in immediate power loss during cruise flight. This mechanical failure necessitated the emergency landing. The primary causal factor was the misfueling event committed by the ground crew member, which led to the engine's inability to sustain operation.