What happened
A pilot, who was also acting as the mechanic for the aircraft, was operating the plane to transport it from a remote desert highway to his maintenance shop located in another state. The aircraft had previously made a precautionary landing on a highway to address engine discrepancies that required an overhaul.
During the flight, the pilot landed on a road to seek directions while en route to a planned fuel source. Upon reaching the fuel source, the aircraft had less than one gallon of fuel remaining. The next intended refueling stop was approximately 75 miles away. While flying at low altitude over sand dunes, the pilot noted that the fuel gauges were reading low. The engine subsequently lost power. Although the pilot activated the boost pump, which provided a momentary restoration of engine power, the aircraft ultimately collided with sand dunes within Death Valley National Park. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
The investigation determined that there were no mechanical failures present in the aircraft's systems. The pilot reported that the engine failure was the result of fuel exhaustion.