ENGINE FAILURE; EMERGENCY LNDG.

Narrative

FACT: ALL TANKS FUELED AT OSHKOSH; GAS TICKET XXXXX. FACT: ENG FAILURE. FACT: FORCED NIGHT LNDG. FACT: AIRPLANE SAT UNGUARDED 30 HRS BEFORE INSPECTOR GOT THERE TO LOOK AT IT. FACT: AIRPLANE SET UNGUARDED 30 HRS BEFORE INSPECTOR GOT THERE TO LOOK AT IT. FACT: LEFT TANK SHOWED 2/5 FULL; RIGHT TANK AT TIME OF ENG FAILURE AFTER FORCED LNDG NEXT MORNING--EMPTY. SPECULATION ON CAUSE OF FAILURE: TANK NOT FILLED PROPERLY BY FUELING PERSONNEL. FUEL SIPHON OVERBOARD ON GND (100 DEG F TEMP) OR IN FLT. 85 DEG F NIGHT TEMP. SUPPOSED FUEL ON BOARD 35 GAL; RANGE 525 AT 65% PWR. INDICATED AIRSPD 105 X TEMP 85 = ALT 4500 MS. FACT: 255 COVERED X 2:55. SPECULATION: INSPECTOR FOUND DYE MARKS (RED) IN CRACK BOWEL OF CARB. POSSIBLE DEVELOPED SMALL LEAK. PUMPED FUEL OVERBOARD. NO SMELL DETECTED IN FLT. ONE FACT NOW MENTIONED DISCOVERED BY INSPECTOR ADJUSTER. LEAD PIPES FROM TANK TO FILTER WERE BROKEN OFF (30 HRS ON GND BEFORE FAA ACCIDENT INSPECTOR ARRIVED). PERSONAL IDEA: ALL LOW WING ACFT SHOULD HAVE MODE STEEL ROLLBAR BACK OF SEAT IN CASE OF FLIP OVER IN NOSE LOW ATTITUDE IN FORCED LNDG INTO CORN FIELD OR WEED PATCHES OR SMALL GULLIES; ETC. NOT FACT; SPECULATION: PLANE WITHIN APPROX 1 MI OF ARPT. 600'(?) AGL; NO ROTATING BEACON TO SPOT ARPT BY. PERSONAL THINKING: AN ARPT ACCEPTING FEDERAL AID SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO HAVE OPERATIONAL HIGH INTENSIVE STROBE OR ROTATING BEACON LIGHTS. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING: NO CONCLUSION FROM FAA INVESTIGATION AT THIS POINT. PLT CONCERNED ABOUT LACK OF BEACON AT WASHINGTON; IA; ARPT. FEELS STRONGLY HE COULD HAVE GLIDED TO ARPT IF BEACON TO IDENT LOCATION. HE KNEW ARPT WAS THERE. INSTEAD FELT IT PRUDENT TO LAND IN AN OPEN AREA WHICH WAS LIGHTED AND VISIBLE BELOW. CLRED POWER LINES; BUT WING CAUGHT GUY WIRE AND SPUN ACFT. ELT NEVER ACTIVATED BECAUSE LNDG SO SLOW. SIDE THRUST ACTION DID NOT ACTIVATE.