What happened
During the flight, the engine lost power while the aircraft was at an altitude of 1,500 feet. This occurred approximately four miles from the intended destination airport. The pilot attempted to execute a forced landing into the only available open field located within a suburban area.
During the final approach to the field, the aircraft struck trees before coming to a rest. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the airplane.
The investigation
An inspection of the aircraft following the accident revealed that the fuel selector was set to the right fuel tank. At the time of the incident, the pilot reported that the left tank contained approximately 36 gallons of fuel, while the right tank contained 14 gallons. Upon examination after the landing, investigators found that the right fuel tank was empty, whereas the left fuel tank remained full.