Incident Overview
During a cross-country flight, the airplane suffered a complete loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot became aware of the critically low fuel level approximately three minutes before the failure occurred. In the ensuing forced landing at night on a road, the aircraft collided with power lines, trees, and rough terrain.
Preflight and Fuel Status
The pilot's preflight inspection indicated that the airplane had sufficient fuel to complete the planned flight. At the time of the accident, the aircraft should have had approximately two hours of fuel remaining. However, the fuel system had a documented history of leaks from the tanks and the fuel strainer.
Pilot Awareness of Fuel Leaks
The airplane owner had briefed the pilot about the existing fuel leaks. The pilot stated that the only anomaly he had previously experienced was uneven fuel consumption between the tanks when the fuel selector was set to the BOTH position.
Sequence of Events
While en route, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed a forced landing on a road under night conditions. During the landing, the airplane struck power lines, then trees, and finally came to rest on rough terrain.