Incident Overview
An aircraft involved in a flight experienced a loss of engine power during operation. The engine was restarted twice before ultimately ceasing to function. The pilot executed a forced landing in a dry riverbed located approximately two miles south of the departure airport.
Fuel and Flight History
At the accident scene, only two ounces of fuel were discovered. Prior to the incident, the aircraft had undergone four cycles of taxi, runup, takeoff, and climb since the last refueling. Additionally, the pilot had flown several diversions during the flight.
Pilot Actions and Misconception
The pilot mistakenly believed that he had fully topped the fuel tanks during the last refueling. He did not perform a visual check of the fuel quantity before the final takeoff. This oversight resulted in an inadequate fuel supply for the flight.
Weather Conditions
Winds at the time were slightly greater than forecast, though no further details on weather were provided in the source.
Outcome
The aircraft came to rest in the dry riverbed. The source does not specify the extent of damage, injuries, or whether the landing was controlled or uncontrolled beyond the forced landing description.