On May 25, 1996, a Champion 7FC (registration N456JE) was involved in an aviation accident near Stevensville, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's misjudgment of the amount of fuel he had onboard the airplane which resulted in an engine failure due to fuel exhaustion. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A pilot reported performing a thorough preflight and checking fuel levels, but after takeoff the engine quit, leading to a forced landing in a field where the aircraft inverted. Post-accident examination revealed low or empty fuel tanks.
Preflight Inspection
The pilot stated that because the airplane had just undergone an annual inspection, he performed an especially thorough preflight examination. He reported finding no water in the fuel and that he visually checked the fuel tanks, concluding that adequate fuel was present.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
Shortly after takeoff, the engine quit. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane came to rest inverted.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the aircraft revealed that the right fuel tank contained less than 1/4 inch of fuel when measured with a dip stick. The left fuel tank was found empty. There was no evidence of a fuel spill at the accident site.