Flight Details
A student pilot departed Wheeling, Illinois, on a cross-country flight with planned stops at Dubuque, Iowa, and Oshkosh, Wisconsin, before returning to Wheeling. The pilot refueled with 17.7 gallons of 100 octane low-lead gasoline at Dubuque but did not refuel at Oshkosh.
Incident Sequence
While approaching Milwaukee, the pilot observed that the right fuel gauge indicated half full and the left gauge showed empty. Despite this, the pilot continued toward the destination. Six miles north of the airport, the pilot received clearance to land. A few minutes later, the engine sputtered and eventually lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field, and at the end of the landing roll, the aircraft struck a row of hedges.
Investigation Findings
An investigation following the incident found that both fuel tanks were empty. No other factors were reported.