On March 11, 1993, a Bellanca 7GCBC (registration N88384) operated by Leroy E. Nielsen was involved in an aviation accident near Bismarck, ND. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE EN ROUTE TO ENSURE ADEQUATE FUEL TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot, after departing with full fuel, recalculated fuel consumption en route and skipped a planned stop, leading to fuel exhaustion during the landing approach. A forced landing on a road resulted in the right wing striking a tree.
Departure and Initial Fuel Planning
The pilot departed Grand Island with full fuel tanks. Pre-flight calculations indicated that an en route fuel stop would be necessary to reach the destination.
En Route Decision
During flight, the pilot performed a recalculation of the fuel consumption. Based on this new calculation, the pilot decided to cancel the planned fuel stop and continue directly to the destination.
Fuel Exhaustion and Forced Landing
As the aircraft approached the destination airport for landing, the fuel supply was exhausted. The pilot executed a forced landing onto a road. During the landing, the right wing of the aircraft made contact with a tree.