Flight Details
The pilot conducted a cross-country flight in the accident airplane. For a portion of the flight, the fuel selector was positioned to the right main fuel tank only. The pilot reported that the airplane seemed heavy on the right side, prompting the selection of the right tank alone.
Engine Failure and Landing
During the return flight to the pilot's home airport, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. A forced landing was attempted, during which the airplane collided with a fence post.
Post-Accident Examination
Following the accident, wreckage examination revealed that approximately 10 gallons of fuel remained in the left main fuel tank and 2 gallons in the right main fuel tank. The engine was subsequently started and ran normally at idle to 1,700 rpm, followed by a normal shutdown. No mechanical anomalies were observed during the examination or engine run-up.
Fuel System Specifications
According to available information for the make and model of the accident airplane, the fuel limitations for standard fuel tanks are 30.5 gallons in each fuel tank. The total usable fuel is 55 gallons, with 6 gallons of unusable fuel in all flight conditions. This equates to 27.5 gallons of usable fuel and 3 gallons of unusable fuel per main fuel tank.