Accident Summary
The airplane departed from runway 29R and was cleared for a right closed traffic pattern to return for landing on the same runway. While on the downwind leg, the engine lost power. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane struck homes in a residential area. No distress calls were received from the airplane.
Investigation
Examination of the airplane revealed that approximately 18 to 20 gallons of fuel were drained from the right wing, while only a residual amount was drained from the left wing. No visual evidence of fuel contamination was found. The fuel selector valve was positioned to the right tank, and the auxiliary fuel boost pump switch was in the "HI" position. Inspection of the airframe and engine found no discrepancies that would have prevented normal operation.
According to the airplane's Owner's Manual, the fuel boost pump should be switched to "HI" when switching from an empty fuel tank to a tank containing fuel. The investigation concluded that the pilot likely departed with the fuel selector positioned to the nearly empty left tank, resulting in fuel starvation and engine power loss. The pilot then attempted to restart the engine by switching fuel tanks and turning the fuel boost pump to "HI," but was unable to restart before impacting the houses.
Toxicology
Toxicological testing revealed that the pilot had been taking two prescription antidepressant medications: bupropion and fluoxetine. Fluoxetine was detected at higher than expected levels in the pilot's blood, though it could not be determined if this was due to ingestion of higher than normal amounts. In typical doses, neither medication would be expected to cause significant impairment; however, bupropion is associated with an increased risk of seizure activity, and impairment from the condition for which the medications were prescribed could not be excluded. Neither medication is typically approved by the FAA for use by pilots, and the pilot did not hold a current FAA medical certificate.