What happened
During a flight involving stair-step descents toward a destination, the pilot of a Cessna (type not specified) experienced an engine failure. The pilot initially operated using the left fuel tank for startup, taxi, and takeoff, switching to the right tank approximately 45 minutes into the flight after reaching a cruise altitude of 8,500 feet. Upon noticing the right fuel gauge indicating zero, the pilot switched back to the left tank.
Approximately 4 miles north of the accident site, the engine began sputtering. The pilot attempted to rectify the issue by switching the fuel selector to the right tank and activating the electric fuel pump. While the engine briefly returned to normal operation, the fuel indicators showed over 5 gallons in the left tank and zero in the right tank. The pilot reversed course toward an airport previously flown over, intending to land on runway 11.
Due to a departing aircraft on runway 29, the pilot transitioned to the runway 29 traffic pattern. While on the downwind leg, the engine sputtered again and lost power. To manage excessive altitude, the pilot performed s-turns before extending two notches of flaps for touchdown. Upon landing, the pilot applied the brakes, but the aircraft overran the runway, struck a fence, and came to rest on a golf course. The pilot was not injured.
The investigation
An inspection of the aircraft revealed that there was no fuel remaining in the tanks or on the ground, with only approximately 1 ounce of clean fuel found in the gascolator. Calculations based on the aircraft flight manual's performance charts for 75 percent best power indicated a total fuel consumption of 49.25 gallons for the elapsed flight time. The aircraft's usable fuel capacity is 48 gallons.