Incident Overview
A pilot reported that he departed with approximately 30 gallons of fuel. After about two hours of flight, the engine lost power. The pilot executed a forced landing in a rough field, during which the aircraft nosed over.
Postcrash Examination
Examination of the aircraft after the incident revealed that it did not contain any usable fuel. There was no evidence of fuel leakage. The engine fuel injector manifold was found to be empty, and no blockage or malfunction was detected in the fuel system. Fuel was added to a wing tank, after which the engine started and operated to full power without any evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction.
Engine Fuel Consumption
Representatives from Continental Engine indicated that the engine could consume up to 18 gallons of fuel per hour.
Probable Cause
No probable cause was stated in the source material.