What happened
The pilot, holding a total of 300 flight hours, was conducting an aerial application of fertilizer on a designated field. After approximately four hours of continuous operation, the engine began to sputter, indicating a loss of power or fuel delivery issue. Recognizing the emergency, the pilot initiated a forced landing procedure in an adjacent field.
During the rollout phase of the landing, the aircraft nosed over. The plane came to rest in an inverted position on the ground. There were no reports of injuries to the pilot in this account.
The investigation
Following the incident, an examination of the aircraft was conducted to determine the mechanical status and fuel levels. Investigators found that both fuel tanks remained structurally intact with no visible damage from the crash impact. However, the tanks contained less than one gallon of fuel remaining at the time of inspection.
Findings
The primary factor in this incident was fuel exhaustion. The aircraft had operated for four hours on a single load of fuel, which was insufficient for the duration of the task. The lack of adequate fuel reserves led directly to the engine sputtering and subsequent forced landing.