Incident Overview
The pilot contacted ATC to report that he was low on fuel while still 16 miles from his destination airport. Eight minutes after this initial report, the pilot informed ATC that he had experienced a complete fuel loss and would have to land immediately. The subsequent landing was performed on a road, but the landing gear was not fully extended during the touchdown.
After contacting the road surface, the airplane slid off the roadway and down an embankment, where it struck a sign. The impact resulted in rupture of the fuel tanks, leading to an estimated spillage of 10 to 15 gallons of fuel at the accident site.
Post-Accident Inspection
A post-accident inspection revealed no signs of previous fuel leakage from the tanks or lines. However, the right fuel tank gauge was found to be inoperative at the time of the accident.