What happened
The pilot was performing aerial application operations in an aircraft that holds 38 gallons of usable fuel. According to the owner, the aircraft typically consumes 19 gallons of fuel per hour during these operations, providing approximately two hours of flight time when full. Prior to departure, the pilot topped off the fuel tanks.
After flying for 1 hour and 52 minutes, the pilot began the return trip to the strip, estimating that approximately 25 minutes of fuel remained. However, eight minutes after beginning the return leg—marking exactly two hours since the last refueling—the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot attempted a forced landing in a field, during which the aircraft landed hard on its right wing.
The investigation
A post-crash examination of the aircraft revealed that there was no usable fuel remaining in the tanks. Investigators found no evidence of any inflight fuel leaks originating from the fuel strainer or the fuel tanks. Additionally, other pilots who have operated this aircraft reported no history of excessive fuel consumption.