Background
The aircraft departed on a flight with a reported fuel load of 77.1 gallons (462.6 pounds), as stated by the pilot. However, the pilot did not visually confirm that the tanks were full.
Sequence of Events
Upon arrival at the destination, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. At the time of the power loss, the fuel selector was positioned to the right tank. The fuel quantity indicator showed the right tank as one-quarter full. The pilot executed a forced landing, during which the aircraft nosed over.
Fuel Consumption Analysis
Fuel consumption calculations, based on a worst-case scenario, indicated that approximately 473 pounds of fuel would have been consumed during the roughly five hours of flight. The total usable fuel capacity of the aircraft was 534 pounds. This suggests that the fuel load at departure was insufficient for the duration of the flight, given the actual consumption.