What happened
The pilot departed Bullhead City, Arizona, intending to fly to Columbus, New Mexico, a flight covering 461 nautical miles. The flight plan anticipated an average ground speed of 120 knots with an estimated time en route of 3 hours and 45 minutes. Based on a calculated fuel burn rate of between 10.5 and 11.0 gallons per hour and 55 gallons of usable fuel, the pilot's estimated endurance was between 4.5 and 5.0 hours.
While the aircraft was approximately 3 miles from the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot performed a forced landing on an unprepared surface, during which the aircraft collided with a ditch. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
The investigation determined that prior to departure from Bullhead City, the pilot had instructed airport personnel to refuel the airplane but specifically requested they "leave it down two inches." The pilot subsequently admitted that the engine power loss was likely due to fuel starvation.