What happened
During a personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91 regulations, a commercial pilot and two passengers were preparing to land when the Cessna aircraft lost all engine power while descending to approximately 1,000 feet MSL. In an effort to restore power, the pilot cycled the fuel tank selector valve from the "both" position to the left, then to the right, and back to both. The pilot did not activate the auxiliary fuel pump during this process.
The pilot attempted a forced landing in a small open area surrounded by trees and power lines. During the approach, the aircraft struck the power lines and trees, resulting in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
The investigation
An on-site post-accident inspection of the fuel system found approximately 6 gallons of fuel in the right tank and 1.5 gallons in the left tank. The aircraft has a total capacity of 84 gallons, with 78 gallons usable and 6 gallons unusable.
An examination of the engine revealed that the brass mixture control lever, mounted on the fuel control, was loose on the mixture control shaft. The shaft itself was positioned in the closed (off) position. When the shaft was manually moved to the open position, the engine started and operated at various power settings for an extended period, reaching its full rated RPM.
An FAA airworthiness inspector determined that the aircraft's annual inspection was approximately 10 months overdue. The mixture control linkage is a component required to be checked during such inspections.