SEA00LA004

The pilot reported that while on short final approach at an altitude of approximately 150 feet above ground level, the left fuel tank ran dry and the engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart the engine. The engine would not start and the pilot performed a forced landing into a pasture. During the forced landing, the right main landing gear and wing were damaged. Post-accident examination disclosed that the aircraft's right fuel tank was full and its left fuel tank was empty. The pilot reported that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved.

On October 20, 1999, approximately 1618 mountain daylight time, a Thomson Vans RV-6 experimental amateur-built airplane, N541JT, was substantially damaged in a forced landing in a pasture following a loss of engine power on final approach to runway 28 at the Emmett, Idaho, Municipal Airport. The private pilot, who owned and had built the aircraft, and was its sole occupant, was not injured in the accident. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the 14 CFR 91 local personal flight out of Emmett.

In his NTSB accident report, the pilot indicated that he measured the aircraft's fuel level with a dipstick before flight, and that he took off at 1558 with 14 gallons of fuel on board. The pilot reported that at an altitude of approximately 150 feet above ground level, while on short final, the left fuel tank ran dry while on final approach and the engine lost power. The pilot stated he switched fuel tanks and attempted to restart the engine, but that the engine did not start and that he then performed a forced landing into a pasture 1 mile east of the airport. During the landing, the right main landing gear and wing were damaged.

A post-accident examination disclosed that the aircraft's right fuel tank was full and its left fuel tank was empty. The pilot indicated on his NTSB accident report that no mechanical malfunction or failure was involved in the accident.