Flight Details
Before departing Bayboro, North Carolina, the pilot had flown to Melfa, Virginia, and returned. The pilot did not refuel the aircraft before starting the flight and overflew several possible refueling locations. The aircraft departed Bayboro with less than 36 gallons of fuel. The pilot had flown 3.8 hours prior to the engine failure.
Fuel Exhaustion and Ditching
While en route back to Bayboro, the aircraft ran out of fuel. The pilot ditched the aircraft. There was no record of a mayday call, and the pilot did not transmit the emergency code 7700 on the transponder.
Search and Rescue
The pilot's failure to file a flight plan resulted in a delay of several hours before the search for the downed aircraft began. Two passengers were rescued by a ferry boat approximately 13 hours after the accident.