Fuel Exhaustion Leads to Hard Landing During Cross-Country Repositioning Flight (N6495A)

What happened

The pilot was operating a private airplane on a cross-country flight intended to reposition the aircraft from Arizona to Washington. The flight plan included a scheduled en route stop for refueling. However, the airplane exhausted its fuel supply approximately six miles short of the intended destination.

• Fuel exhaustion occurred during the approach phase.
• The pilot attempted an emergency landing in an open field.
• The aircraft nosed over upon impact with the ground.
• No injuries were reported to the pilot or the passenger on board.

The investigation

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) conducted a review of the incident. A significant factor in the investigation was the lack of official documentation from the involved parties.

• Neither the pilot nor the operator filed a Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report with the NTSB.
• This absence of filing limited the availability of detailed operational data.

Findings

The primary cause of the accident was the depletion of fuel resources before reaching the planned refueling point. The failure to manage fuel quantities effectively resulted in the inability to complete the leg of the journey as intended.

• Fuel exhaustion was the direct mechanical and operational cause.
• The landing gear configuration contributed to the nose-over damage upon touchdown.
• The lack of filed reports prevented further analysis of maintenance or pre-flight checks.