Incident Details
On April 30, 2015, at about 1947 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 140 (registration N2514N) sustained substantial damage during a forced landing following a loss of engine power near Crescent Lake State Airport (5S2) in Crescent Lake, Oregon. The airplane was registered to and operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal cross-country flight, which originated from Rogue Valley International - Medford Airport in Medford, Oregon, at about 1830, with a destination of Sisters Eagle Air Airport in Sisters, Oregon.
Pilot Actions
The pilot reported that during cruise flight at about 7,500 feet mean sea level, the engine lost power after the selected fuel tank was run empty. He switched fuel tanks and made several attempts to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. Subsequently, the pilot realized he would not be able to reach the nearest airport and initiated a forced landing on a nearby road, about two miles south of 5S2. During the approach and landing roll, the airplane struck several trees but remained upright.
Postaccident Examination
A postaccident examination by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the right wing sustained substantial damage. The airplane was recovered, and further examination showed continuity of the fuel from the wing tanks to the engine. The left fuel tank was observed to be empty, and the right fuel tank was nearly full. When the right fuel tank was selected, the engine ran normally. No anomalies in the fuel system or fuel selector were noted during the examination. Despite numerous requests, the pilot did not provide a completed NTSB Form 6120.1 to the investigator-in-charge.