Accident Summary
An agricultural aircraft engaged in fertilizing a field experienced a loss of engine power during a swath run. The pilot was conducting repetitive trips, each lasting approximately 10 minutes, when the engine lost power. During the subsequent forced landing, the aircraft stalled.
Investigation Findings
Post-accident examination revealed that there was no fuel in either the aircraft fuel system or the engine fuel system. No evidence of fuel spillage was found around the wreckage. The pilot was aware that the fuel gauges were inaccurate, as they indicated less fuel than was actually on board.
The aircraft was performing a routine fertilizing operation at the time of the incident. The repetitive nature of the trips and the known inaccuracy of the fuel gauges were factors in the fuel exhaustion that led to the power loss and forced landing.