Accident Overview
An airplane on a positioning flight experienced a loss of engine power while in cruise flight, leading to a forced landing during which the aircraft struck trees and sustained substantial damage.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported completing the last spray application at 1715. At that time, the left fuel gauge indicated 1/2 tank (14 gallons) of fuel remaining, and the right tank was dry. The pilot stated that the airplane consumed approximately 14 gallons of fuel per hour and estimated having 45–60 minutes of fuel remaining when departing the field. The engine lost power during cruise, and the pilot executed a forced landing, impacting trees at approximately 1745.
Post-Accident Inspection
During recovery of the airplane, the fuel system was examined. The right fuel tank was found dry. The left wing tank had a ruptured fuel line. Inspection revealed no fuel in the line from the left tank to the engine-driven fuel pump, from the engine-driven fuel pump to the mixing valve/fuel control, or from the fuel control to the fuel distributor/spider.