Accident Flight
The pilot of an airplane conducted a flight with the intent to drain fuel from the right auxiliary fuel tank so that maintenance work could be performed on the fuel tank sending unit. Prior to departure, the pilot did not check the fuel quantity, estimating that sufficient fuel remained from a previous flight completed two weeks earlier. During that earlier flight, the pilot had noticed that the right auxiliary fuel gauge was inoperative. The airplane had landed uneventfully after that flight and remained in a hangar until the accident flight.
Fuel Management
On the accident flight, the pilot completed a 20-minute local flight. While on final approach to land, with the fuel selector positioned to the right auxiliary fuel tank, a low fuel pressure indicator light illuminated in the cockpit at an altitude of about 800 feet above ground level over a populated town. The pilot activated the fuel boost pump but did not reposition the fuel selector to a different fuel tank.
Loss of Power and Landing
Shortly after the low fuel pressure indication, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot performed a forced landing into trees and a river. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. In a post-accident statement, the pilot characterized the accident as "pilot error," explaining that he had run the right auxiliary fuel tank dry.