Incident Overview
The pilot reported that while cruising at 4,000 feet, the engine lost power. The aircraft subsequently landed in an open field. During the landing roll, the nose wheel dug into soft dirt, causing the aircraft to flip over.
Pilot Report and Fuel Management
The pilot had planned for a 4-hour flight with 5.5 hours of fuel on board. However, the aircraft had been en route for 4 hours and 22 minutes and was still 78 statute miles from its destination. The pilot allowed one fuel tank to run empty and relied on the indication from the right tank, which showed less than one quarter full. When the float in the right tank was at the bottom, it indicated two needle widths of fuel remaining. The pilot did not maintain adequate fuel to complete the flight with an IFR reserve, based on the fuel gauge readings.
Contributing Factors
Two factors present during the flight were strong winds aloft and an inaccurate fuel indicating system. The inaccurate system likely contributed to the pilot's misjudgment of fuel quantity.