What happened
The pilot was operating a private aircraft engaged in a round robin cross-country flight. During the course of this trip, the pilot chose not to refuel the aircraft at the intermediate stop. Additionally, despite several available airports along the return route offering fuel services, no refueling occurred.
As the aircraft approached its destination airport, it was established on short final for landing. At this point, the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion. The pilot initiated an emergency landing procedure on terrain that was rough, uneven, and unsuitable for such a maneuver.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the operational decisions made during the flight. It was determined that the aircraft ran out of usable fuel because the pilot did not refuel at the intermediate stop or at any of the available airports along the return route. The mechanical condition of the aircraft was consistent with fuel starvation.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to the incident was fuel exhaustion. This occurred because the pilot failed to refuel during the cross-country flight, despite having multiple opportunities to do so at intermediate stops and along the return path. The decision to continue flying without refueling led directly to the loss of engine power on final approach.