What happened
The pilot contacted Flight Service Station (FSS) to request information regarding fuel availability at the destination. During this communication, he was informed that the runway lights at Childress Municipal Airport were out of service. Approximately thirty-four minutes after this initial contact, the pilot reported that his engine had quit and stated his intention to attempt to make it back to the airport.
The aircraft subsequently struck power lines located approximately two miles northeast of the airport. Following the impact, investigators drained the fuel tanks and found only about one-half cup of fuel remaining. Additionally, three sacks of marijuana were discovered on board the aircraft at the time of the accident.
The investigation
Examination of the aircraft's fuel system revealed that it was nearly empty. The presence of only a small amount of residual fuel in the tanks indicated that the engine had ceased operation due to a lack of fuel supply rather than mechanical failure or other operational issues.
Findings
The primary factors contributing to this accident were the pilot's decision to continue flying with insufficient fuel reserves and the subsequent inability to reach a suitable landing site. The out-of-service runway lights may have added complexity to the approach, but the critical factor was the depletion of fuel.