Background
Prior to a cross-country flight, the airplane was fueled to capacity, and a check-out flight lasting between 45 minutes and 1 hour was flown. The flight then departed at 0946.
Flight Sequence
The pilot reported that with full fuel, the airplane's endurance was 5 hours, while the planned flight duration was 3 hours. With approximately 30 minutes remaining in the flight, the pilot observed the fuel gauges indicating about one-quarter full. Shortly afterwards, the engine stopped running.
Forced Landing and Post-Accident Inspection
During the forced landing that followed, the airplane nosed over in soft terrain. A post-crash inspection revealed a minimal amount of fuel in the fuel system.
Regulatory Action
Following this occurrence, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued Airworthiness Directive AD94-12-08. That directive, in part, requires checking the fuel gauge calibration or placarding the airplane to indicate that the fuel gauges are not calibrated and that, with full tanks, maximum endurance for flight planning is 4 hours.