Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in fuel starvation and engine stoppage.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The private pilot was preparing to land following a 2.7 hour cross country flight. As he reduced power on final, the engine quit. A restart attempt was unsuccessful, and the airplane collided with trees short of the airport. The aircraft caught fire after ground impact but the pilot escaped through a rear cabin window. An examination of the wreckage revealed that the right wing was consumed by the post crash fire, fire damage to the left wing was minimal. The fuel tank selector handle was found in the left tank position. A36 performance data indicates that about half of the available fuel supply would have been consumed during flight. An examination of the engine revealed no evidence of mechanical failure/malfunction. The aircraft had only been flown about 70 hours since new.
Source record
Factual narrative
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