Flight History
The pilot arrived at an airport after it had closed, following a two-hour flight. Unable to obtain fuel or ground transportation, he elected to spend the night in the aircraft. He departed at 0430 the following morning without obtaining a pre-departure or en route weather briefing.
Weather and Diversions
Low clouds covered the pilot's planned destination airport. He diverted to two other nearby airports, which were also covered by low clouds, and then returned to the destination airport, which remained cloud-covered. He contacted approach control, reported low fuel, and requested vectors to a nearby VFR airport. While being vectored toward an airport, the engine lost power before the airplane could reach it. The airplane was subsequently landed in a field approximately 2 miles from the airport.
Pilot and Inspector Observations
The pilot reported that at the time of the accident it was hazy and he could see the runway. He further noted that clouds moved in immediately after the landing. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector determined that the fuel tanks were empty, with no evidence of fuel leakage or siphoning. The pilot estimated that the airplane had been flown for about 5.5 hours since its last refueling.