Incident Details
According to the pilot, he had selected the right fuel tank while descending into the landing airport vicinity. The engine then lost power. He subsequently switched the fuel selector to the left tank and then to the both position. The propeller continued to windmill. The pilot force-landed the airplane on an interstate.
During the landing, the airplane touched down hard, causing the tail wheel to separate from its mounting point. The separation damaged the rudder.
Pilot Comments
The pilot indicated that when the airplane is in a descent, he normally positions the fuel selector on both. He emphasized that in a descent, it is important to position the selector to the both position to ensure adequate fuel flow. Additionally, the pilot reported that he may have encountered carburetor icing conditions and that he did not immediately apply carburetor heat.
Examination
According to the FAA’s carburetor icing chart, icing conditions existed at glide and cruise power settings. Seven gallons of fuel were found in the airplane's fuel tanks. Following the accident, the engine was started and test run on the airframe using the remaining fuel; no anomalies were noted.