Accident Overview
During cruise flight, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot attempted to regain power by switching fuel tanks several times but was unable to sustain engine operation. This led to a forced landing on a road. During the landing, the airplane's wing struck a sign.
Investigation Findings
Subsequent investigation revealed that only unusable fuel remained in the fuel tanks. The pilot reported that he believed the airplane had five hours of fuel on board for the intended flight. However, after 4.4 hours on the Hobbs meter, the engine began to lose power due to fuel exhaustion.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that he thought he had five hours of fuel on board. The Hobbs meter indicated 4.4 hours of flight time when the engine power loss occurred, suggesting a miscalculation of fuel availability.