Accident Summary
The airplane was within 10 miles of its destination airport when the engine quit due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed a hard forced landing in a cornfield.
Pilot Account
The pilot stated that the main fuel tanks were topped off (40 gallons) at the origin of the flight. According to the pilot's flight planning, the trip was estimated to take 2 1/3 hours with a fuel flow of 13.1 gallons per hour. The accident occurred 2 1/4 hours after takeoff. During the flight, the pilot noted that the fuel quantity gauge indicated a lower amount than expected. Despite this, he continued toward his destination, judging his available fuel based on the duration of the flight.
Fuel System Information
The pilot stated that the airplane's fuel system could cause the main fuel tanks to appear full before they actually were, potentially misleading refuelers.