What happened
During the cruise portion of the flight, the pilot operated the Cessna at a power setting of 2,350 RPM and 22 inches of manifold pressure. During this phase of flight, the engine experienced a complete loss of engine power.
In an attempt to manage the emergency, the pilot performed a forced landing. During the landing sequence, the aircraft impacted a road embankment, which caused the airplane to nose over. The impact resulted in damage to the aircraft.
At the time of the engine failure, the pilot had not yet transferred fuel from the auxiliary tanks to the main tanks. Following the accident, investigation of the fuel levels revealed that the main fuel tanks contained only 1/2 gallon of fuel, while the auxiliary tanks held a total of 14 gallons. The pilot reported that both fuel quantity gauges indicated 1/4 full at the moment the engine stopped producing power.
The investigation
The aircraft was equipped with an engine conversion under a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC). According to a representative from the conversion company, the engine's expected fuel consumption at 2,200 to 2,300 RPM and 22 to 23 inches of manifold pressure is approximately 13 gallons per hour. The main fuel tanks have a total capacity of 60 gallons, with 55 gallons being usable.