MIA97LA027

The pilot stated he departed with about 30 gallons of fuel. After about 2 hours of flight, the engine lost power. The pilot made a forced landing in a rough field, and the aircraft nosed over. Postcrash examination revealed that the aircraft did not contain any usable fuel, and there was no evidence of fuel leakage. The engine fuel injector manifold did not contain fuel, and there was no evidence of fuel system blockage or malfunction. Fuel was added to a wing tank, and the engine was started and operated to full power with no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. Continental Engine representatives indicated that the engine consumed up to 18 gallons of fuel per hour.

On November 20, 1996, about 1110 eastern standard time, a Cessna A188B, N53319, registered to individuals, crashed while making a forced landing following loss of engine power at Ocilla, Georgia, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 137 aerial application flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the commercial-rated pilot was not injured. The flight originated from Ocilla, Georgia, the same day, about 0910.

The pilot stated to an FAA inspector that he had been flying for about 2 hours and that he had about 30 gallons of fuel at departure. While returning to his strip after chemical application, the engine sputtered and quit. While making a forced landing in a rough field the aircraft nosed over.

Postcrash examination of the crash site by FAA inspectors showed that there was no fuel in the aircraft and no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft. There was no fuel in the fuel manifold valve. There was no evidence of fuel line blockage or fuel system malfunction. The engine was started and operated to full power with no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. A representative of Continental Engines stated the engine consumes about 17 to 18 gallon per hour at 2,500 rpm and 25 inches of manifold pressure.