BFO96LA035

The pilot stated that when he performed a preflight inspection of the airplane, the fuel tanks '...appeared to be full. They could have been no more than 2 inches down.' The pilot reported that as the airplane neared the destination airport after about 2 3/4 hours of flight, the engine power began to fluctuate. He stated that he checked the fuel quantity gauges and '...the right [fuel tank] was empty and the left was 3/4 full.' He attempted to regain power by pumping the primer and throttle. He reported that '...I went into about a 60 [degree] bank to the right to see if fuel would move between the tanks...motor caught and cut out a few times. When I leveled off the engine quit completely and the prop stopped turning.' During an emergency landing, the airplane touched down in a frozen/swampy area and nosed over. Postaccident investigation of the aircraft revealed no fuel in the fuel tanks, fuel strainer or carburetor. No preimpact mechanical malfunction was found. Postaccident examination of refueling records/airplane logs revealed that the airplane had flown about 4 3/4 hours since the most recent refueling.

On December 30, 1995, at 1630 eastern standard time (EST), a Cessna 152, N47316, sustained substantial damage when it nosed over during a forced landing in a marshy field near Hudson, Ohio. The private pilot, the sole occupant, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the pleasure flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated from Toledo, Ohio, at about 1530 EST.

The pilot stated that when he did his pre-flight inspection before departing the airplane's home base of Portage, Ohio, he "...visually looked at the fuel tanks [and the] tanks appeared to be full. They could have been no more than 2 inches down." He stated that he departed on the cross country trip to Toledo, Ohio, at about 1345 EST. The pilot reported that he reached Toledo at about 1525 EST, made a touch and go landing, then began the return trip to Portage.

The pilot reported that he was about 10 miles west of the Portage airport when the engine "...RPM's dropped from 2350 to 2000 and back up again." The pilot stated that he then checked his fuel quantity gauges and that the "...right [fuel tank] was empty and the left was 3/4 full." The pilot reported that as he continued the flight, "...the engines RPM's dropped again." He reported that he tried to regain engine power by manipulating the primer and throttle, without success. The pilot stated: "...I went into about a 60 [degree] bank to the right to see if fuel would move between the tanks. The motor caught and cut out a few times. When I leveled off the engine quit completely and the prop stopped turning."

The pilot reported that when the engine lost power completely, he selected the nearest field and prepared for the emergency landing. The pilot reported that when the airplane touched down, he realized that the field he had chosen for the emergency landing was actually a frozen lake. The pilot stated that the airplane touched down on "...muddy swamp water about two feet deep...the nose gear touched down...stuck into the mud and the plane flipped over." The pilot's written statement indicated that he had 64.6 hours of total flight experience, including 51 hours in the accident make and model airplane. The pilot also stated that there was no mechanical malfunction.

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Investigator reported that postaccident examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunction. The FAA Inspector stated that there was no evidence of useable fuel present in the fuel tanks, fuel strainer, or carburetor. The FAA Inspector reported that the fuel tanks were not compromised. Aircraft recovery personnel told the FAA that there were no fuel stains in the snow when they retrieved the wreckage. The FAA Inspector stated that examination of the airplane refueling records/flight logs revealed that the accident airplane had flown 4 3/4 hours since its most recent refueling.