Incident Overview
A pilot with 1,050 hours of flight experience was conducting an approach to Runway 36 in a single-engine airplane when the engine lost power. The pilot initiated a forced landing, descending at 400 feet per minute and reducing manifold pressure to 23 inches. He switched the fuel selector from the left to the right fuel tank.
Approach and Maneuvering
Approximately four miles west of the intended destination, at a pattern altitude of 1,800 feet, the pilot entered a tight right downwind for Runway 36. When the airplane was abeam the runway numbers, the airspeed was 10 knots above the landing gear extension speed. The pilot reduced manifold pressure to 18 inches, turned on the fuel boost pump, and advanced the mixture and propeller controls forward. He extended the downwind leg to further reduce speed. While turning base, he extended the landing gear and pushed the throttle forward, but the engine did not respond. The pilot did not recall the RPM setting at that time.
Forced Landing
Unable to maintain altitude, the pilot reduced airspeed to 80 knots and executed a forced landing on a feeder road adjacent to Interstate 35. Prior to touchdown, he verified that the fuel boost pump was on, the fuel selector was in the detent, and the master and ignition switches were on. He also pushed the mixture and propeller controls to the full forward position. The flaps were not extended.
Post-Accident Engine Test
The engine was test run on the airframe with a two-bladed propeller. A provisional fuel line was attached to the right fuel tank's inboard fitting and a plastic gas can. The engine started and ran normally from idle to 1,500 RPM without interruption. No mixture rise was observed when leaning the mixture at 1,500 RPM. A magneto check conducted at 1,500 RPM showed smooth operation, with RPM dropping approximately 100–125 RPM on both left and right magneto positions.
The cockpit fuel pressure gauge was sluggish and indicated slightly low. A test gauge installed for the run indicated 20 psi at idle with the boost pump off and 22 psi with the boost pump on. At 1,500 RPM, the test gauge indicated 25 psi regardless of boost pump status. Fuel vents were absent of debris. The induction air filter and induction system appeared normal and unobstructed. No mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal engine operation.