Incident Overview
A cross-country flight ended with an engine failure and a forced landing on a highway after the airplane exhausted its fuel supply. The pilot had departed with a full fuel load of 50 gallons, of which 48 gallons were usable. The airplane’s fuel consumption rate was approximately 10 gallons per hour.
Flight Conditions and Pilot Actions
During the return flight, the airplane encountered a headwind averaging 36 knots. The pilot changed altitude multiple times in an attempt to find more favorable wind conditions. After 4.6 hours of flight, the engine stopped producing power.
Forced Landing and Post-Event Examination
During the subsequent forced landing, the pilot declared to air traffic control that he had "run out of fuel." The airplane touched down on a highway, where it nosed over. Examination at the scene revealed no odor of fuel and no evidence of fuel spillage.
Engine Test After Recovery
The airplane was recovered, and a can of fuel was plumbed into its fuel system. The engine started immediately and ran smoothly without interruption, confirming that fuel exhaustion was the cause of the power loss.
Weather Briefing
The pilot did not update his weather briefing while the airplane was serviced or at any time during the return flight.