Incident Details
According to the pilot's statement, the fuel gauge indicated 74 gallons during the preflight inspection. Approximately 10 minutes after takeoff, when the aircraft was about halfway to its destination, the gauge read 24 gallons. When the aircraft was approximately 5 miles from the destination, the boost pump lights illuminated and the fuel gauge showed 5 gallons. At that point, the pilot decided to execute a precautionary landing to investigate the issue. Before the landing could be completed, the engine flamed out due to fuel exhaustion, and the pilot entered autorotation.
During the descent, the pilot observed that the aircraft was on a trajectory to hit a bush. To avoid the bush, the pilot extended the glide, resulting in a hard landing in a tail-low attitude.
Investigation Findings
Investigation revealed that the pilot had not visually checked the fuel quantity during the preflight inspection. The aircraft had only 20 gallons of fuel on board at the time of departure for the accident flight, contrary to the 74 gallons indicated by the gauge. All fuel system components, including the fuel gauge, were functionally tested and operated normally, suggesting no mechanical malfunction.