What happened
The pilot operated an aircraft on a flight to a specific destination. Prior to departure, the pilot did not verify the quantity of fuel remaining in the aircraft's fuel tanks. During the course of the flight, the pilot decided to cancel a planned stop for refueling and proceeded directly to the intended destination.
As the aircraft approached the destination, the engine ceased operation due to fuel exhaustion. The failure occurred approximately 2.5 miles short of the airport. Following the loss of power, the aircraft struck a tree and then impacted the ground during an attempted forced landing.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational decisions made by the pilot prior to and during the flight. Examination of the circumstances revealed that the fuel quantity was not checked before takeoff. Furthermore, the decision to forego the scheduled refueling stop contributed to the depletion of available fuel reserves.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was the failure of the engine due to fuel exhaustion. This condition resulted from the pilot's failure to assure adequate fuel levels before departure and the subsequent cancellation of a planned fuel stop. The lack of sufficient fuel prevented the aircraft from reaching the destination, resulting in a forced landing where the aircraft sustained damage after striking a tree and the ground.