What happened
During a cross-country flight, the pilot reported being low on fuel and requested vectors to the nearest airport. Despite these efforts, fuel exhaustion occurred approximately 15 miles short of the destination. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field, during which the airplane sustained damage.
The investigation
The investigation revealed that the pilot misjudged the initial fuel quantity at takeoff. Additionally, the pilot failed to account for the higher en route power settings used during the flight, which contributed significantly to the depletion of fuel reserves before reaching the intended airport.
Findings
The primary factors leading to this incident were the fuel exhaustion and the pilot's error in planning. Specifically:
- Misjudgment of initial fuel quantity at takeoff
- Failure to account for higher en route power settings
These errors resulted in the aircraft running out of fuel well before reaching the nearest airport, necessitating an emergency landing.