Primary finding
Probable cause
A total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot’s inadequate preflight planning.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The pilot and owner of the airplane departed on a round-trip cross-country flight with one stop. Before departure the owner topped off the fuel tanks and the pilot elected to trust the owner on the accuracy of the fuel amount. No fuel was added and the fuel level was not verified while at the enroute stop. Ten miles from the departure airport, on the return leg, the engine stopped running. The pilot attempted to restart the engine and switched fuel tanks, but the engine would not restart. The pilot elected to land in an empty field; during the landing, the airplane overran the field boundary, went through a ditch, and impacted a tree as it crossed a road before coming to a stop. In the process, the airplane’s nose gear broke off and damaged the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot and owner exited the airplane without assistance. The airplane had been flown for a total of 3 hours and 40 minutes in the round-trip flight before the engine stopped running due to fuel exhaustion.
Source record
Factual narrative
The pilot and owner of the airplane departed on a round trip cross-country flight with one stop. Before departure the owner topped off the fuel tanks and the pilot elected to trust the owner on the accuracy of the fuel amount. No fuel was added or fuel level verified while at the enroute stop. Ten miles from the departure airport, on the return leg, the engine stopped running. The pilot attempted to restart the engine and switched fuel tanks, but the engine would not re-start. The pilot elected to land in an empty field; overran the field boundary, went through a ditch, and impact a tree as it crossed a road before coming to a stop. In the process, the airplane’s nose gear broke off and damaged the leading edge of the right wing. The pilot and owner exited the airplane without assistance. The airplane had been flown for a total of 3 hours and 40 minutes in the round trip flight before the engine stopped running due to fuel exhaustion.