Pre-Accident Events
The pilot had filled the aircraft's 60-gallon usable fuel tanks at Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colorado. Subsequently, the pilot completed two instructional flights totaling 3.1 hours. Three days later, the pilot and two passengers departed on a cross-country flight to Nucla, Colorado, consuming 1.7 hours of flight time. Upon arrival, the pilot purchased 15 gallons of fuel. The flight then continued to Bullfrog Basin, Utah, which took an additional 0.9 hours.
The Return Flight and Power Loss
The following day, the return trip began. After flying for 1.2 hours, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a highway. During the landing roll, the right main landing gear encountered soft ground, causing the airplane to swerve off the highway.
Post-Accident Observations
The retrieval crew that attended to the aircraft reported that the fuel tanks were empty. The pilot stated that based on the fuel purchased and consumption, he expected to be able to fly to Gunnison, Colorado, in 1.4 hours with an 8-gallon reserve.