Accident Sequence
The pilot departed from his home airport and flew to a nearby airport, a flight of about 10 minutes. At the destination airport, he performed three touch-and-go landings. Approximately 5 minutes into the return flight, the engine began to cough and sputter before losing power entirely. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He then executed a forced landing to a beach, during which the airplane sustained substantial damage.
Operational Background
The accident flight was the second flight since the pilot completed an annual inspection on the airplane. Prior to that inspection, the airplane had not been flown for 14 years. The airplane was last refueled on the morning of the accident with 20 gallons of fuel. It was then flown for approximately 90 minutes before the accident flight.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination of the airplane revealed five gallons of fuel in the right fuel tank, while the left fuel tank was empty. No fuel was observed in the input line to the fuel pump, the output line from the fuel pump, or the gascolator. The airplane's fuel consumption rate was between 7 and 10 gallons per hour.