Primary finding
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate fuel planning, which resulted in a total total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
At the end of a 2.5-hour flight, the pilot had started his approach to land at his destination airport when the engine lost total power after its usable fuel supply was exhausted. The pilot then attempted a forced landing, but while attempting to avoid a powerline, the airplane struck a barn. The airplane came to rest in a ditch along a rural road and sustained substantial damage to the left wing and fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation