Accident Sequence
On April 30, 1983, a flight originating from Blacksburg, Virginia, shortly after midnight, later departed from Gaithersburg, Maryland, at 1050 EDT. The specific times en route and arrival at Gaithersburg were not reported. The flight was uneventful until shortly after passing Lexington, Virginia, when the pilot discovered the right fuel tank was empty. The pilot diverted toward Lynchburg, Virginia, but the remaining fuel became virtually exhausted before reaching the airport.
Pilot Actions
After the engine quit, the pilot did not move the position of the throttle or mixture control. A forced landing was initiated on a highway. During the landing, the aircraft struck several objects.
Post-Impact Events
According to the pilot, after impact, the engine started running and accelerated the aircraft across the road, through a fence, and into a residential yard.
Damage
During the occurrence, the wings were damaged by a road sign and a tree. The right landing gear collapsed. Several mailboxes and a vehicle were also damaged.
Fuel Management
The pilot noted that the right fuel gauge was inaccurate. The engine quit after approximately 4 hours of flight. At 75% power, the aircraft would use 33.4 gallons of usable fuel out of a total of 36 gallons.