Flight and Incident
An aircraft departed with fuel sufficient for approximately four hours of endurance. Two hours into the flight, while operating under an IFR flight plan, the pilot descended to 3,000 feet with intermittent visual ground contact. Shortly thereafter, with the aircraft about ten minutes from its destination, the engine began to sputter. The pilot reported switching the fuel selector from the 'BOTH' position to an unspecified tank, setting the mixture to rich, and pumping the throttle. The engine regained power momentarily but then sputtered and quit. The pilot requested and received radar vectors to the destination airport, but insufficient altitude remained for a glide to the airport. The forced landing was executed at night on a roadway.
Investigation Findings
Investigation revealed a fuel stain extending from the left tank filler cap to the trailing edge of the wing. Refueling personnel and the on-scene FAA inspector reported difficulty in seating the fuel cap properly. Compliance with AD 83-13-01 was not achieved, although visual inspection did not indicate a need for repair on the left fuel cap. No fuel was found on board the aircraft. The fuel gauges were functionally checked and found to operate normally.