Accident Details
The pilot of the airplane reported that the fuel gauge was intermittent but decided to proceed with a night cross-country flight. During the flight, the engine lost power. The pilot declared an emergency and selected a road as a landing area. During the landing, the airplane struck powerline wires, then impacted the ground and came to rest inverted.
Damage Assessment
The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings, the engine mounts, the rudder, and the horizontal stabilizer.
Examination Findings
A Federal Aviation Administration Aviation Safety Inspector examined the airplane. The fuel selector was set to the right-wing tank, which contained no usable fuel. The left-wing tank contained usable fuel.
Regulatory Reference
Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (14 CFR) 91.205 states that no person may operate a powered civil aircraft with a standard category U.S. airworthiness certificate with an inoperative fuel gauge.