Accident Overview
On July 18, 2020, at about 1730 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-22 airplane, registration N4816A, was substantially damaged during a forced landing near Loveland, Ohio. The pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. The flight was conducted under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight.
Pilot's Account
According to the pilot, before departure, both fuel gauges indicated a quarter tank. He added approximately 7.5 gallons to each tank, for a total of 15 gallons. He departed from Wadsworth Municipal Airport (3G3), Wadsworth, Ohio, en route to Cincinnati Municipal Airport-Lunken Field (LUK), Lunken, Ohio.
About one and a half hours into the flight, the engine lost power. It briefly regained power and then lost power again. The pilot selected a road for a forced landing. During the landing, the airplane struck several mailboxes and a light pole before coming to rest in a residential yard.
The pilot stated that he typically switches fuel tanks every 10 to 15 minutes but could not recall if he did so on this flight. He also did not switch fuel tanks after the initial loss of engine power.
Examination Findings
Post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the left wing, damage to the right horizontal stabilizer and elevator, and the right-side engine cowling. The fuel selector was found in the off position. The right-wing fuel tank was drained, yielding about 5.5 gallons of fuel. The left-wing fuel tank contained no usable fuel. The carburetor float bowl was inspected and found free of contaminants.
The left fuel gauge read approximately one quarter, while the right gauge read zero. The examination could not confirm the accuracy of the gauges or whether the wiring to the left and right fuel tanks was swapped.
Fuel was added to the right-wing fuel tank, and the engine started successfully. It was operated from idle to high power with no abnormalities noted.
The pilot reported on the NTSB Form 6120.1 that he believed the reason for the engine failure was fuel exhaustion.