CHI02LA104

The airplane contacted a light pole during a forced landing following a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane was topped off with fuel (31 gallons) prior to the four leg cross country flight. The pilot reported that on departure for the last leg the airplane veered right during the takeoff roll. Upon reaching his destination airport, he aborted the landing due to a lack of directional control. He then decided to fly to a larger near-by airport. Prior to reaching this airport, the engine lost power. The pilot selected a street on which to make a forced landing. He reported that during the landing the airplane "Veered to the right, having spun clockwise relative to the forward vector. The plane struck a city light pole." The pilot used a fuel burn of 4.5 gallons per hour based on a Continental C-85 engine. However, the engine had been modified with a crankshaft, pistons, and rods for a O-200 engine. The pilot reported that after the accident, he estimated that he burned approximately 50 percent more fuel than he calculated. Following the accident the right brake rotor was found bent and locked against the caliper. The pilot speculated that he may have hit something during the last takeoff roll.

On April 14, 2002, at 2100 central daylight time, an amateur built Varieze, N97JW, operated by a private pilot, collided with a light pole during a forced landing following a loss of engine power. The accident occurred near the intersection of Ridge and Cleveland Roads in Gary, Indiana. The private pilot received serious injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight was operating in visual meteorological conditions without a flight plan. The airplane departed Nashville, Tennessee (JWN), at 1650.

The pilot reported the airplane was last topped off with fuel in French Lick, Indiana. He reported the airplane held 31 gallons of fuel of which 30 gallons were usable. The airplane was then flown to Fall-of-Rough, Kentucky; Henderson, Kentucky; and JWN. The pilot reported he then departed JWN with the intention of landing at Griffith, Indiana (05C). He reported that during the takeoff run at JWN, the airplane veered to the right. He corrected the directional control and continued the takeoff. He reported that upon reaching 05C, he aborted because of the lack of directional control. He then decided to land at Gary, Indiana. The pilot reported that he ran out of fuel while en route to Gary. The pilot selected a street on which to make a forced landing. He reported that during the landing the airplane "Veered to the right, having spun clockwise relative to the forward vector. The plane struck a city light pole."

The pilot reported that he calculated his fuel consumption for the trip using 4.5 gallons per hour for a Continental C-85 engine. Using this fuel consumption rate, the pilot calculated that he would have used 20 gallons of fuel for the entire trip. However, the engine had been modified with a crankshaft, pistons, and rods for a O-200 engine. The pilot reported that after the accident, he estimated that he burned approximately 50 percent more fuel than he calculated.

The pilot also stated that after the accident the right brake rotor was bent and locked against the caliper. He was not sure how this happened, but speculated that he may have hit something during the takeoff roll from JWN.