Incident Overview
The pilot reported that the aircraft had been refueled the previous day in Buffalo, New York. The aircraft was then flown to Chicago, Illinois, with a flight duration of four hours and thirty minutes. The following day, without additional refueling, the aircraft was flown to Schaumburg, Illinois, where the engine stopped. The pilot subsequently performed a forced landing on a state highway, during which the aircraft struck a car and a row of mailboxes.
Pilot's Account
The pilot stated that when departing Chicago for Schaumburg, he believed he had 15.1 gallons of fuel remaining. This estimate was based on the previous day's flight, which lasted 4.5 hours at 75% power with 72 usable gallons of fuel.
Investigation Findings
After the crash landing, investigators found less than one quart of fuel remaining in the aircraft.