What happened
The pilot was operating the aircraft during cruise flight at an altitude of 4,000 feet. At the time of the incident, the airplane was in radio contact with Memphis Tower. During this phase of flight, the engine suddenly quit. The pilot immediately informed Memphis Tower that he had run out of fuel.
Following the loss of power, the pilot initiated a forced landing procedure targeting an open field. While on the final approach to the field, the airplane collided with trees. The impact caused the aircraft to nosed over and come to rest in an inverted position.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the airframe revealed that both the left and right fuel tanks were not ruptured during the collision. Fuel quantity measurements taken at the scene indicated approximately 1 1/2 gallons of fuel remained in the right fuel tank, while about 3 quarts of fuel was present in the left fuel tank.
Findings
The primary factor leading to this accident was fuel exhaustion. The available fuel reserves were insufficient to complete the flight, resulting in a total loss of engine power during cruise. This forced landing resulted in substantial damage to the airframe.