Incident Overview
A pilot flying a practice instrument landing system (ILS) approach declared that the airplane had run out of fuel while communicating with the Reno Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) local controller. The aircraft subsequently impacted terrain in a field approximately one mile from the runway threshold.
Preceding Events
According to the pilot, the flight had previously conducted holding patterns, a VOR approach, and one ILS approach before the second ILS attempt. Shortly after the engine abruptly stopped, the pilot observed that the right fuel gauge indicated empty and moved the fuel selector to the left tank. Efforts to restart the engine were unsuccessful before the collision with the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
An Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) airworthiness inspector responded to the accident site and determined that airport fire department personnel had moved the fuel selector from the left tank to the off position. Inspection of the fuel system showed it remained intact. Fuel recovery revealed two ounces of fuel in the right wing tank and 13 ounces in the right reservoir tank. The left fuel tank contained approximately 25 gallons of fuel, with an additional 65 ounces in the left reservoir tank.
Conclusion
The accident investigation documented the fuel distribution at the scene but did not assign a probable cause.