19981025030209A

(.19)On October 25, 1998, at 1025 hours pacific standard time, a Beech 36, N36EL, collided with a pickup truck during a forced landing on a highway near Palmdale, California. The forced landing was precipitated by a total loss of power while the aircraft was in curise flight at 10,500 feet MSL. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for ther personal cross-country flight. The aircraft and the truck sustained substantial damage. The pilot was not injured; however, the two passengers on the aircraft and driver of the truck sustained minor injuries. The flight originated at the bracket airport, la verne, California, at 1000 and was destined for sacramento, California. The pilot reported that the aircraft was in cruise flight at 10,500 feet over the san gabriel mountains when the engine began to surge, then quit altogether. The pilot said he followed the emergency checklist and briefly obtained a restart, then the engine quit again. The pilot was attempting to make the Palmdale airport but had insufficient altitude to make the runway. He elected to land on a straight stretch of road and was nearing touchdown when a pickup truck came from behind the aircraft and passed underneath. The aircraft's right wing hit the camper shell on the truck, then the left gear collapsed as the aircraft touched down on the road. (.4) the pilot stated that the aircraft completed an annual inspection 2 months earlier. The prior flight was from chino to sacramento, California, and back without refueling upon landing. The fuel computer/totalizer said he had 58 gallons left onboard following the trip. On the accident flight, the pilot leaned the mixture and engaged the autopilot after leveling out. A short time later, the engine began surging. The pilot enriched the mixture and turned the fuel boost on low. The engine quit altogether. He went through the emergency checklist, maintaining boost pump on and switching through the fuel tanks. After realizing he could not make the airport, he decided to land on a road and hit a truck. An aircraft retrieval firm documented that no fuel leaks were found in the lines or tanks. During disassembly, a total of 15.4 gallons of fuel were drained from all the tanks. No fuel was found in the right main tank. Six gallons were drained from the left main tank; 7 gallons were drained from the left tip tank and 2 gallons from the right tip tank. The fuel selector was positioned to the left tip tank. The retrieval personnel noted that a wet smear caked with dirt was present on the left tip tank from the filler port aft along the outboard side toward the trailing edge tip. The stopper type filler caps for the tip tanks were found loose in the filler ports. Also, the rubber stoppers were found to be cracked and deteriorated. The continuity of the fuel system was established. The aircraft master switch was energized and the sending unit floats were manipulated by hand and found that the gauges read high. The engine was restarted with the aid of serviceable propeller and fuel. The engine accelerated normally to 1,700 RPM where a magneto check was performed, and with a 60-RPM drop for both magnetos. (-23) pilot stated that he checked fuel in tanks during preflight and could verify that he had sufficient fuel for his planned trip, the electric fuel totalizer agreed. During cruise he heard a sputter from the engine and used the electric fuel pump and enrichened the mixture. This worked momentarily, however shortly after the engine quit, he went through restart which got the engine back momentarily but it quit again and would not restart. He opted to land on a road during the roll out the right wing hit a truck and turned the aircraft and collapsed the left main gear.