Accident Sequence
The pilot and two passengers departed Wichita, Kansas, for a planned nonstop flight to Sedona, Arizona. The pilot was familiar with the route and had accumulated about 1,800 hours of flight experience in the accident airplane, which had been modified to hold 73 gallons of fuel. During the flight, all airplane systems functioned normally, and no adverse weather was encountered.
Fuel exhaustion occurred upon arrival over the destination airport at an altitude of 8,500 feet above mean sea level. The pilot repositioned the fuel selector to the left fuel tank, but engine power was not restored. The airport's elevation is 4,827 feet above mean sea level, and the runway is 5,132 feet long.
The pilot descended into the airport's downwind leg and then turned onto the base leg and final approach leg for runway 21. He reported experiencing a wind from 270 degrees at 15 to 20 knots. Unable to glide to the runway, the pilot touched down hard in the dirt between 10 and 15 feet short of the runway, in a stalled attitude. The left main wheel contacted an asphalt berm 8 to 10 inches high at the approach end of the runway.
Post-Accident Examination
After the accident, the pilot attempted to start the engine. He stated that the left fuel tank contained several gallons of fuel, and after several seconds of cranking, the engine started and operated normally. He also reported that during the flight, all of the airplane's systems had functioned normally.
Under the direction of the Safety Board, an airframe and powerplant mechanic examined the airplane. The mechanic reported that both of the airplane's wing fuel tank gauges and the auxiliary tank gauge registered empty.