What happened
The pilot reported that the aircraft had exhausted its fuel supply. In an attempt to continue the flight, he added approximately two to three gallons of aviation gasoline, believing this quantity would be sufficient to ferry the aircraft for a distance of four miles. Following takeoff, the engine lost power while the aircraft was climbing to approximately 400 feet above ground level.
During the subsequent forced landing maneuver, the aircraft reportedly stalled at an altitude between 20 and 30 feet before it could reach a nearby road.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical status of the aircraft following the power loss. Examination revealed that the fuel exhaustion was the primary factor leading to the engine failure. No other mechanical anomalies were identified that would have contributed to the loss of power.
Findings
Contributing factors included the pilot's decision to continue flight with insufficient fuel and the resulting stall during the final phase of the forced landing. The engine failure was directly caused by the lack of fuel supply.