What happened
The aircraft was involved in an accident shortly after takeoff, impacting the ground just short of the runway threshold. The pilot had been airborne for approximately 45 minutes prior to the impact. At the time of departure, the pilot estimated that he had loaded 16 gallons of fuel into the tanks, a calculation based entirely on the readings displayed by the onboard fuel gauges.
The investigation
Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any evidence of mechanical failure or system malfunctions that could have contributed to the accident. Post-accident testing confirmed that the engine operated normally when fresh fuel was introduced into each tank, indicating that the powerplant itself was functional at the time of impact.
Findings
The primary factor leading to the accident was fuel exhaustion. Despite the pilot's belief that sufficient fuel was onboard based on gauge readings, only a small quantity of fuel remained in the system after the crash. This discrepancy between the gauge indication and the actual fuel volume suggests a failure in fuel management or instrumentation accuracy.
Safety message
Pilots should not rely solely on fuel gauges for critical fuel quantity assessments. Cross-checking with pre-flight calculations and visual inspection is essential to prevent fuel exhaustion during flight.