What happened
During cruise flight, the engine of an experimental airplane ceased producing power. The pilot, holding a private certificate with 625 hours of total time, identified a paved street located within a newly constructed housing development as a potential landing site. As he descended toward the roadway, the pilot maneuvered the aircraft in approximately a 360-degree circle to establish alignment with the road.
The airplane touched down on the pavement before full alignment could be achieved. Following touchdown, the aircraft drifted off the left side of the road and collided with a fire hydrant. The airplane eventually came to rest in an upright position.
The investigation
Investigators examined the experimental airplane following the incident. The aircraft was equipped with two wing-mounted fuel tanks, each with a nine-gallon capacity. Upon inspection, approximately eleven gallons of fuel remained within the system. Despite this remaining fuel, the specific reason for the reported loss of engine power could not be determined through the available evidence.
Findings
The sequence of events indicates that fuel exhaustion was not the cause of the power loss, given the significant amount of fuel remaining in the tanks. The pilot's decision to select a paved street in a residential area demonstrates an attempt to find a suitable emergency landing site. However, the touchdown occurred before proper alignment was achieved, leading to the off-road excursion and subsequent collision with infrastructure.
The cause of the engine failure remains undetermined based on the physical evidence recovered from the scene.