Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during the preflight inspection, he mistakenly believed the fuel gauges indicated full tanks. He did not perform a visual check of the fuel levels. After takeoff, when the aircraft was approximately 2,500 feet in altitude and four miles from the departure airport, the pilot realized the plane had very little fuel remaining. He initiated a return to the airport, but the engine lost power before the aircraft could reach the runway.
Emergency Landing
The pilot executed a forced landing in a river bottom. During the landing, the left main landing gear struck a drain ditch. The impact caused damage to the left main gear, left wing, engine cowling, and propeller.
Pilot Actions
The pilot acknowledged that his preflight fuel assessment was based solely on the gauge readings and that he did not verify the fuel quantity by inspecting the tanks visually. No other factors were reported.
Damage Assessment
The aircraft sustained damage to the left main landing gear, left wing, engine cowling, and propeller. The extent of damage beyond these items was not specified.