Incident Overview
Approximately 40 minutes into an 80-nautical-mile leg of a return flight, the engine lost power. The pilot had previously flown a 530-nautical-mile cross-country flight to attend a trade conference with two employees. The flight to the conference took 3.6 hours. Before departing on the return trip, the pilot requested that the airplane be topped off with fuel. However, the pilot later stated that the airplane was improperly serviced and the 92-gallon fuel system was not filled to capacity. The pilot estimated that the flight began with 61.1 gallons of fuel instead of the requested 92 gallons.
En Route Decision
During the return flight, the pilot stopped at an airport 80 nautical miles short of the intended destination to check the weather. Despite the known fuel discrepancy, the pilot elected not to refuel at that stop.
Power Loss and Landing
Continuing the flight, the engine lost power while in cruise flight. The cause was determined to be fuel exhaustion. The pilot executed a forced landing in a short, narrow pasture that was sloping uphill. The landing was hard, resulting in damage to the aircraft.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the incident was fuel exhaustion, as stated in the source.