Event Overview
A pilot refueled the airplane before departing to pick up his daughter. At an intermediate stop, the pilot did not refuel the airplane but showed his daughter the amount of fuel onboard and the quantity needed for the return trip. During the return flight, while in cruise, the engine lost power. The pilot attempted a nighttime forced landing to a field, but the airplane struck trees instead.
Findings
Subsequent examinations of the airplane revealed no evidence of preimpact mechanical anomaly or fuel leak. The pilot's daughter indicated to local authorities that the airplane had been low on fuel. At the accident scene, approximately 1.5 gallons of fuel were found onboard. The owner's manual for the airplane stated that 3.5 gallons of fuel were unusable.
Fuel Considerations
There were a number of airports along the approximate route of flight where the pilot could have purchased fuel. The presence of only 1.5 gallons of fuel at the scene, combined with the stated unusable fuel quantity of 3.5 gallons, suggests that the usable fuel available at the time of the power loss was minimal.