Incident Overview
According to an official investigation report, the pilot of a single-engine airplane encountered forecast headwinds during an en route flight. To manage fuel consumption, the pilot intentionally ran the left fuel tank dry and continued flying on the right tank. During the descent, the right tank also ran dry, causing a total engine failure. The pilot reported that at the time of the tank change, he considered requesting an alternate airport but did not do so.
Emergency Response and Approach
After the engine failed, air traffic control provided radar vectors to the final approach course of a nearby airport. However, the pilot determined that he had insufficient altitude to reach the runway. The airplane broke out of clouds at 700 feet above ground level, and the pilot was able to execute a forced landing on a playing field adjacent to a church in an urban area.
Landing and Impact
Upon touchdown, the airplane rolled approximately 234 feet before colliding with a baseball backstop. The aircraft came to rest in the church parking lot. The pilot's preflight fuel calculations indicated 6.5 hours of fuel endurance until exhaustion, but actual fuel exhaustion occurred after 5.5 hours of flight. Specifically, the left tank ran dry at 2.6 hours, and the right tank ran dry at 2.9 hours.