What happened
The pilot reported that the aircraft lost engine power while cruising. Following the loss of power, the pilot executed a forced landing on a roadway. During the landing roll, directional control was lost, and the aircraft struck a ditch followed by a fence before overturning.
The engine lost power three hours and 40 minutes after takeoff. The pilot had filed a VFR flight plan reporting four hours estimated time en route and six hours of fuel on board. However, the aircraft was last refueled two days prior to the flight, and the pilot did not service the fuel tanks before departing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical status of the engine and the operational history leading up to the event. Evidence indicated that the aircraft had not been serviced for several days prior to the incident.
Findings
The primary factor was fuel exhaustion due to inadequate pre-flight inspection and refueling. The pilot failed to service the aircraft before departure despite having flown it recently, resulting in insufficient fuel reserves for the planned duration.