What happened
After departing, the pilot reached the third-to-last checkpoint of the flight but was unable to locate the subsequent checkpoint. The pilot began orbiting the area and subsequently became lost. Approximately 3 hours and 30 minutes after takeoff, the pilot contacted the Miami Approach Control (AFSS) to report being lost and to advise that the right fuel tank was empty while the left fuel tank was low on fuel.
To avoid congested areas, the pilot navigated toward a location suitable for a forced landing. During the flight, the engine stopped due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot managed to land the aircraft on a dike; however, during the landing roll, the airplane rolled off the dike and collided with trees. According to the aircraft's hour meter, the plane had been in operation for 3.8 hours since takeoff.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the aircraft revealed that the fuel tanks were empty.