Incident Overview
A pilot reported departing from Front Range Airport in Watkins, Colorado, with 12 gallons of fuel on board, en route to Jeffco Airport in Broomfield, Colorado, a flight expected to last approximately 30 minutes. While on the base leg of the approach to Jeffco, the engine lost power. During the turn onto final approach, the aircraft struck guy wires and subsequently crashed.
Post-Event Statements and Examination
Following the crash, the passenger informed the airport operations manager that they had "run out of gas." An examination of the aircraft revealed no fuel present in the fuel tanks. Investigators determined that the fuel system had not been compromised, and no fuel stains were found on the ground.
Findings
The investigation disclosed that the fuel tanks were empty. The absence of fuel in the system, along with the passenger's statement, indicated that the engine power loss likely resulted from fuel exhaustion. The aircraft's collision with guy wires occurred during the emergency landing attempt.