What happened
The pilot was operating a cross-country flight that included an intermediate stop. After approximately 2.4 hours of flight time, the aircraft landed at the stop. The crew anticipated refueling but no ground support or fuel truck was available on site. To continue the journey, the pilot manually measured and added approximately 15 gallons of fuel into each wing tank, resulting in a total of about 30 gallons onboard (the source text states "FORABOUT 25 GALS EACH" which is contradictory to 15 gals per tank totaling 30; however, strict adherence to the text says "MEASURED 15 GALS INTO EACH TANK FORABOUT 25 GALS EACH". This implies a total of roughly 25-30 gallons. I will state the measured amount). The next leg of the journey was planned to last 3.5 hours.
During the subsequent leg, both tanks became depleted of usable fuel at approximately 3.3 hours into the flight. At that moment, the aircraft was located 6 miles from the intended destination. With no remaining fuel, the pilot initiated a forced landing. The landing occurred at night in an open field with rough terrain. Upon impact, the landing gear collapsed.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the fuel management practices and the mechanical condition of the aircraft post-impact. The primary finding was the depletion of usable fuel. The pilot's decision to refuel manually without ground support resulted in a quantity that was insufficient for the planned 3.5-hour leg, especially considering potential reserves or measurement errors.
Findings
The critical factor in this accident was fuel exhaustion. The pilot failed to ensure adequate fuel quantities for the next leg of the flight. The lack of refueling support at the intermediate stop contributed to the inadequate fuel load. The night conditions and rough terrain exacerbated the severity of the forced landing, leading to structural damage.
Safety message
Pilots must verify available refueling resources before committing to a cross-country itinerary. Manual fuel measurement is prone to error and should be avoided when possible. Adequate reserves must be calculated for all flight legs, particularly when relying on self-service or limited ground support.