Accident Sequence
During an en route flight, the pilot contacted approach control to report low fuel and that one engine had lost power. Subsequently, radar and radio communications with the aircraft were lost. The airplane was located several hours later, and the pilot was found fatally injured.
Post-Crash Examination
Examination of the airplane after the crash revealed that the fuel tanks were intact and their caps were in place. No fuel was present in the tanks, and there was no evidence of fuel leakage. The spark plugs appeared gray in color.
Previous Flight Details
The pilot routinely flew the same trip several nights a week and had operated the same airplane and route the night before the accident. The load manifest from the previous night indicated 500 pounds (83.3 gallons) of fuel on board at departure. That flight took 1.6 hours according to the Hobbs meter. There was no record of a refueling before the accident flight. After the accident flight, the Hobbs meter indicated an additional 1.6 hours of operation.