What happened
During a night cross-country flight traveling from El Paso, Texas, to College Station, Texas, the engine lost power approximately 3 hours and 49 minutes after takeoff. At the time of the power loss, the pilot noted that the right fuel tank quantity gauge indicated one quarter of the tank remained. The pilot had estimated a total fuel endurance of 4.33 hours for the flight.
In response to the engine failure, the pilot initiated a forced landing onto Highway 36. As the aircraft approached the highway, the pilot used the aircraft's landing light to signal traffic of the impending landing. While most vehicles moved out of the aircraft's path, the left wing of the aircraft struck a pickup truck during the landing sequence. The occupants were not injured.
The investigation
Following the accident, an examination of the right fuel tank was conducted. The pilot had initially observed what appeared to be a buckling or bunching at the bottom of the tank against the fuel quantity float when inspecting it with a flashlight. However, physical examination of the right fuel tank revealed no bulging in the bottom of the tank.
Investigators found a damp fuel stain on the wing that originated from the filler cap. Based on the findings, it was calculated that approximately 10 gallons of fuel had siphoned out of the tank during the course of the flight.