What happened
While attempting to land at Rogers Municipal Airport, the pilot performed three missed approaches due to weather conditions that were below published minimums. During these maneuvers, the pilot communicated with Air Traffic Control (ATC) regarding the aircraft's fuel state. At 0734, the pilot reported being low on fuel. Two minutes later, the pilot reported that the aircraft was out of fuel.
Radar tracking last observed the aircraft descending through 1,500 feet. Shortly thereafter, the plane impacted trees located approximately one mile northwest of the airport. There were no reports of injuries to the pilot following the impact.
The investigation
An examination of the wreckage was conducted to determine the state of the aircraft's systems. Investigators confirmed that both fuel cells were empty at the time of the crash.