Accident Summary
During a cross-country flight, a Cessna 150G sustained substantial damage after the pilot performed a forced landing following a complete loss of engine power. The aircraft nosed over during the landing, damaging the firewall and vertical stabilizer.
Pilot's Narrative
The pilot reported that after departing from the initial airport, he made stops at two other airports before heading to the final destination. Upon reaching the destination airport, he was unable to activate the runway lights and began circling the airport. After about 10 minutes, the engine experienced a power reduction ("roll back") and subsequently lost all power. The pilot estimated that the total flight time before the power loss was 3.2 hours, all conducted at an altitude of 3,000 feet. He stated that fuel consumption was 4.2 gallons per hour, as specified in the pilot's operating handbook (POH).
Fuel Consumption Analysis
Examination of the Cessna 150G POH showed that 3.24 gallons were needed for three cycles of engine start, taxi, and takeoff. Maintenance records and the engine hour meter indicated the aircraft had actually been operated for 4.6 hours. Combining the POH data, pilot's fuel burn rate, and the hour meter reading yielded a calculated fuel consumption of 22.52 gallons. The POH lists total usable fuel capacity as 22.5 gallons.
Postaccident Inspection
An airframe and powerplant mechanic conducted a postaccident examination of the aircraft. No fuel was found in either the fuel lines or the fuel tanks.