Incident Overview
According to the pilot, the aircraft departed for a local flight with approximately 11 gallons of fuel indicated on the fuel gauges. About 30 minutes after takeoff, the engine lost all power. The pilot executed a forced landing in a field.
Fuel Gauge Readings
The pilot noted that at the time of the engine failure, the fuel gauges displayed approximately one-quarter fuel quantity in each tank. However, the pilot attributed the power loss to fuel starvation, stating that no mechanical malfunction occurred other than the inaccuracy of the fuel gauges.
Landing and Damage
During the landing roll, the aircraft struck a ditch, shearing off the nose landing gear and causing the aircraft to nose over. The impact resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and engine mounts.