Incident Overview
On December 18, 2012, at approximately 1449 central daylight time, a Beechcraft A23 Musketeer, registration N3573R, performed a forced landing on airport property after a loss of engine power. The aircraft was registered to and operated by an individual under 14 CFR Part 91 as a personal flight. The solo student pilot reported no injuries. The aircraft sustained substantial damage to the left wing spar.
Preflight and Flight Sequence
The flight originated from Central Nebraska Regional Airport (KGRI) at 1345. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and the flight operated without a flight plan.
While on the downwind leg of his third traffic pattern, the student pilot conducted prelanding checks and noted that the selected right fuel tank was empty. He then selected the left fuel tank, which indicated approximately 3/8 of a tank remaining. Approximately four minutes later, the airplane lost engine power. The pilot subsequently landed in a field on airport property.
Post-Landing Actions
Immediately after the forced landing, the student pilot started the airplane on the ground where the landing occurred and taxied back to the ramp with the left fuel tank still selected.
Mechanical Inspection
A mechanic inspected the engine fuel injection system and found no blockage or contamination in the distribution manifold or the fuel injector nozzles. The mechanic then drained the remaining fuel from both tanks: the right fuel tank contained 1.5 quarts of fuel, and the left fuel tank contained 19.75 gallons of fuel.
Fuel Management
The aircraft had two fuel tanks. During the flight, the pilot selected the right tank, which was consumed until empty. After switching to the left tank, the engine lost power after about four minutes, despite the indicated fuel quantity and subsequent measurement showing substantial fuel remaining in the left tank. The exact cause of power loss was not identified in the report.