Incident Overview
While on a personal cross-country flight, the pilot spent time navigating around thunderstorms. This maneuvering resulted in a complete loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot was forced to land in a field that was rough and uneven. A road adjacent to the field was noted as suitable for an emergency landing, but the aircraft instead touched down on the field. During the landing, the underside of the fuselage sustained substantial damage.
Pilot Background
The pilot did not hold a multiengine rating and was described as inexperienced in the aircraft they were flying. Furthermore, the most recent biennial flight review, a required periodic proficiency check, had been completed 17 years prior in a single-engine aircraft.
Damage
The aircraft received substantial damage to the underside of the fuselage as a result of the forced landing on the uneven field.