IAD05LA062

En route to another airport to buy fuel, the engine lost power, and the pilot force-landed the airplane, hitting trees during the descent. A post-accident examination of the airplane revealed no fuel in the fuel tank or fuel lines, and the pilot had not "sticked" the fuel prior to the flight. The pilot had bought 5 gallons of fuel on the day before the accident, and had another airplane that was full of fuel.

On May 13, 2005, at 1117 eastern daylight time, an Aeronca 65, N34482, was substantially damaged during a forced landing in Sanborn, New York. The certificated private pilot received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed between the pilot's private airstrip in Sanborn, and North Buffalo Suburban Airport (0G0), Lockport, New York. The personal flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

According to the pilot, after takeoff, he headed the airplane toward the northeast, and with his "hand on [the] throttle, [the] engine faltered." The pilot "pumped" the throttle, and the engine "returned to normal for 3-5 seconds," then "quit completely." The pilot turned the airplane away from some houses, and towards some woods. Once over the woods, the airplane stalled into the tops of 50- to 60-foot trees, caught on some limbs, and nosed down to the ground.

According to a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector, a post-accident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel supply line fitting was broken off and there were no fuel stains on the inside or outside of the lower cowling in the vicinity of where the line was located; there was no fuel in the engine fuel strainer, and the screen was clean; there was no fuel in the supply line from the fuel shutoff valve to the strainer; and there was no fuel in the fuel tank. In addition, there was no evidence of a fuel spill on the ground where the airplane had come to rest.

The FAA inspector also spoke with the pilot, who stated that he had put 5 gallons of fuel in the airplane on the day before the accident, but had not "stacked" the tanks on the day of the accident. The purpose of the flight was to go to another airport to top off the fuel tanks. The inspector checked the fuel log, which confirmed that the pilot had bought fuel. The pilot also had another airplane that was full of fuel.