What happened
The pilot reported that he had requested 30 gallons of fuel prior to departure, anticipating an estimated flight time of 3.5 hours. During the course of the flight, the engine began running roughly. At this point, the right fuel tank was observed to be empty.
The pilot then switched the fuel selector to the left tank. Approximately two minutes later, the engine sputtered and stopped completely. The pilot stated that the left tank must have gone dry at that moment. Following the loss of power, an emergency landing was executed into a nearby sugar cane field. Upon impact, the aircraft nosed over.
The investigation
The source text does not provide specific details regarding mechanical examination or post-accident inspection findings beyond the pilot's statement about fuel tank status.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was fuel exhaustion. The pilot ran out of usable fuel in both tanks during flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power. The subsequent emergency landing resulted in the aircraft nosing over in the sugar cane field.