What happened
A private pilot, who had completed 11 successful glider tows prior to this event, departed for his twelfth flight. After towing a glider to 3,000 feet mean sea level approximately three miles west of the glider port, the pilot released the glider and turned east toward the airfield.
When the Cessna (type not specified in source) was roughly two miles from the glider port, the engine stopped producing power. The pilot entered a left downwind pattern. Upon reaching the north end of the glider port, the pilot attempted a right 360-degree turn to lose altitude after determining the aircraft was too high. During this maneuver, airspeed and altitude deteriorated rapidly, leading the pilot to stall the aircraft or enter an incipient spin. The pilot recovered near ground level, but the left wing struck a tree, causing the aircraft to spin before coming to rest.
The investigation
An examination of the fuel system was conducted following the accident. The inspection revealed that there was no fuel onboard the aircraft.