Incident Overview
A commercial pilot was conducting an approach to his destination airport when the single-engine airplane experienced a loss of power at an altitude of approximately 500 feet above ground level. The pilot executed a forced landing to a rain-soaked field located about 8 miles north of the runway.
Landing and Damage
Upon touchdown, the nose gear sank into the muddy terrain and collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the firewall. The pilot and passenger were not injured.
Fuel Status
According to the pilot, the airplane had approximately 15 gallons of fuel on board at the time of departure. An on-scene inspection of the fuel tanks revealed 2 1/2 gallons in the left tank and 1 gallon in the right tank. The aircraft manual specifies that 1 1/2 gallons of fuel is unusable in the tanks.