What happened
While flying at approximately 3000 feet above the ground, the pilot experienced a loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine one time, but the engine lost power again shortly after the attempt. At the time of the incident, the pilot estimated having 18 gallons of fuel on board with an expected flight duration of 1 hour and 10 minutes.
Following the loss of power, the pilot established the best rate of glide in an effort to reach the nearest airport. However, the aircraft's altitude was insufficient to complete the maneuver, and the airplane collided with trees located about 1.5 miles east of the airport before falling to the ground.
The investigation
An examination of the aircraft revealed that the right tank and the carburetor were empty. Only 1 quart of fuel remained in the left tank.