Incident Overview
An aircraft conducting a flight encountered a loss of engine power during the landing phase, leading to a forced landing in an open field. The airplane subsequently contacted a tree and a ditch before coming to rest. The pilot had reported a sudden drop in fuel quantity and fuel pressure prior to the power loss.
Sequence of Events
According to the pilot, while approximately 50 miles from Tucumcari Municipal Airport, the right fuel gauge indicated between 6 and 8 gallons of fuel remaining in the right tank. The pilot reported being "approximately ten minutes out" when he observed a sudden loss of fuel indication on the fuel gauge and the fuel pressure dropped to "nil," followed immediately by a total loss of engine power. The aircraft was landed in a field roughly 1.5 miles short of the runway. The total flight time was 4 hours and 15 minutes.
Aircraft Specifications
The aircraft's usable fuel capacity is 48 gallons. According to the operating manual, the aircraft consumes approximately 10 gallons per hour during cruise flight. Based on the stated fuel capacity and consumption rate, the planned flight duration should have been within the aircraft's range, but the observed fuel exhaustion indicates that fuel available was insufficient for the completed flight time.
Conclusion
No additional contributing factors were identified in the investigation. The forced landing and subsequent contact with terrain were a direct result of the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.