What happened
The aircraft departed from Stuttgart Municipal Airport (KSGT) in Arkansas at 12:50 Central Standard Time with full fuel tanks on board. Approximately five hours and eight minutes after takeoff, the pilot was forced to make an emergency landing near his intended destination of San Antonio, Texas. The incident occurred due to fuel exhaustion.
The investigation
Following the event, Federal Aviation Administration investigators interviewed the pilot. During this interview, the pilot explicitly admitted that he had simply run out of fuel. A subsequent mechanical examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction that could have contributed to the loss of power.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was the depletion of usable fuel during flight. The pilot acknowledged responsibility for the situation, stating directly that he ran out of fuel. No mechanical issues were identified with the aircraft systems.