What happened
The incident involved an aircraft operated by an instructor pilot and a foreign-rated private pilot. The instructor pilot allowed the private pilot to conduct the preflight inspection prior to departure. During the flight, which lasted approximately two hours, the engine failed. The instructor pilot subsequently executed a forced landing in a cow pasture. Upon impact, the aircraft nosed over.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that there were only eight ounces of fuel remaining in the fuel tanks. This finding was critical in determining the cause of the engine failure.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the accident was fuel exhaustion. The lack of sufficient fuel led to the engine failure, necessitating the forced landing. The preflight inspection conducted by the private pilot did not identify the low fuel state.