Incident Overview
A pilot reported that the aircraft was refueled to capacity at Longmont, Colorado. According to the pilot, full capacity should have provided at least 3.6 hours of flying time at normal consumption. After refueling, the aircraft was flown for 1.3 hours to Fowler, Colorado, where it remained parked for approximately one week. The pilot then departed on a flight to Albuquerque, New Mexico. After 1.3 hours of flight time, the engine lost power. During an emergency landing on an interstate highway, the right wing of the aircraft collided with a bridge railing.
Investigation Findings
An investigation revealed that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot reported that he looked into the fuel tanks during a preflight inspection and noted that there was fuel in both tanks, but he did not ascertain the quantity. Additionally, the pilot reported that the fuel gauges were not reliable. The pilot believed that fuel was stolen from the aircraft while it was parked at Fowler.
Pilot's Observations
The pilot stated that during the preflight inspection, he visually checked the fuel tanks and saw fuel in both, but did not measure the exact amount. He also noted that the fuel gauges were not reliable indicators of fuel quantity. The pilot suspected that fuel theft occurred during the week the aircraft was parked at Fowler, though no evidence of theft was reported in the investigation.