MIA98LA231

The pilot estimated he departed with about 18 gallons of usable fuel and that the engine uses about 9 gallons per hour. While on final approach to his destination the engine quit. Attempts to restart the engine were unsuccessful and a forced landing was made in a wooded area. Postcrash examination of the aircraft by FAA inspectors showed the aircraft did not contain any usable fuel and that there was no evidence of fuel leakage from the aircraft after the accident or in flight before the accident.

On August 29, 1998, about 1010 eastern daylight time, a Bibb RV-4 homebuilt aircraft, N144KT, registered to an individual, collided with trees while making a forced landing following loss of engine power at Chapel Hill, North Carolina, while on a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the private-rated pilot received minor injuries. The flight originated from Manassas, Virginia, the same day, about 0850.

The pilot stated that the aircraft holds 32 gallons of fuel with 26 gallons being usable. He had the aircraft's tanks filled the day before the accident flight and flew about 1.1 flight hours on that day. Before departing Manassas, he checked his fuel tanks and estimated that the aircraft contained about 24 gallons of fuel. He departed with the fuel selector on the right fuel tank and flew at an altitude of between 2000 and 3000 feet to Chapel Hill. He estimated the engine consumed about 8.5-9.0 gallons per hour for the flight. He did not switch fuel tanks during the flight. He entered the traffic pattern at the Horace Williams Airport. When he turned on final approach to runway 27, the engine quit abruptly. He switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart the engine. It would not restart. He turned to a field for a forced landing and saw that there were people on the field. He then turned toward the left away from the field and impacted into trees. As he exited the aircraft, he noticed fuel leaking from the left wing fuel tank.

Postcrash examination of the crash site and aircraft by FAA inspectors showed the aircraft's fuel tanks did not contain any usable fuel and had not been damaged in the accident. There was no evidence of fuel leakage at the scene and there was no evidence of inflight fuel leakage from the aircraft. The fuel strainer bowl was tight and when it was removed for inspection it was found to be empty. Examination of the engine showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.