What happened
A private pilot, who did not hold an instrument rating, filed an instrument flight plan for a flight that was expected to last approximately five hours. The actual duration of the flight extended to five hours and twenty-six minutes. During this time, the pilot communicated with air traffic controllers, reporting that he had exhausted his fuel supply and that the engine had subsequently failed.
The aircraft ultimately crashed at the destination airport. The impact occurred specifically on a taxiway within the airport grounds. Upon arrival of emergency responders and investigators, no residual fuel was located at the crash scene, confirming the total depletion of the fuel tanks prior to the accident.
The investigation
Investigators examined the wreckage at the destination airport taxiway. A critical finding was the complete absence of fuel at the site. This physical evidence supported the pilot's radioed statement regarding fuel exhaustion and confirmed that the engine failure was caused by a lack of power source rather than mechanical malfunction.
Findings
The primary factor leading to this accident was the pilot's decision to undertake an instrument flight without the necessary certification. The flight duration exceeded the available fuel capacity, resulting in fuel exhaustion. The crash site on the taxiway indicates the aircraft remained airborne until it ran out of power near its destination.