Primary finding
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot reported that he conducted a preflight inspection and filled both of the airplane’s fuel tanks. While enroute, the airplane’s engine lost power. The pilot switched fuel tanks but was unable to restore power. The pilot then conducted a forced landing to a rough field, during which the airplane impacted a hay bale. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the fuel tanks contained no usable fuel. No other postaccident malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operations were found. Immediately following the accident, the pilot stated that he ran out of fuel. The pilot wrote on NTSB Accident/Incident Reporting Form 6120.1 that it was possible either or both fuel tanks were not completely full “due to difficulty with the ladder and fuel pump.”