Accident Summary
An airplane departed under visual meteorological conditions. Approaching the destination airport, the pilot decided to return to the departure airport because of weather conditions. While descending toward the departure airport, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing to a field, during which the airplane landed hard.
Flight and Fuel Management Details
The pilot reported that he had flown the return leg using fuel from the right tank, then switched to the left tank before beginning the descent. The engine failed during the descent. According to the pilot, the fuel selector was positioned to the left tank at the accident site. When the fuel selector was removed for examination, fuel flowed from all connecting lines except the line from the right main tank.
Postflight Examination
Postflight examinations of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Approximately 1 gallon of fuel was drained from the right wing tank, and 11 gallons of fuel were drained from the left wing tank. There was no indication of fuel leakage from either tank. According to the airplane's operating handbook, there were 3 gallons of unusable fuel in each tank.
Fuel Management Observations
The pilot did not utilize the boost pump (auxiliary fuel pump) as required in the procedures for an engine restart, although he had switched to the left fuel tank at some point.