Forced Landing
The pilot was on a cross-country flight when the engine began sputtering, leading him to suspect a fuel problem. Fuel pressure fluctuated, and after switching fuel tanks, turning on the auxiliary fuel pump, and richening the mixture, the fuel flow briefly stabilized before varying again. Shortly thereafter, the engine quit. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a dirt road, turning off the fuel pump and landing with the gear down and flaps extended. The airplane touched down successfully on its main landing gear. During the rollout, a wing clipped a metal post, spinning the airplane into a ditch. The nose wheel collapsed, and the wing sustained substantial damage.
Post-Accident Examination
Recovery personnel drained 15 gallons of fuel from each of the main wing tanks. No fuel was found in the auxiliary fuel tanks, which can hold a maximum of 19 gallons of usable fuel according to the manufacturer's systems description. Examination revealed the fuel selector was positioned to the auxiliary fuel tank and the fuel boost pump was set to the emergency or HI position. A fuel supply was plumbed into the left wing fuel inlet. When the engine was started, it ran smoothly at various power settings for 15 minutes, including full power, exhibiting good throttle response with no hesitation.