Incident Summary
The airplane lost engine power short of its intended destination during a cross-country flight. During the forced landing attempt, the airplane impacted a telephone line.
Fuel Management
Prior to departure, the pilot was limited in total fuel load to 320 pounds (approximately 53 gallons) due to the airplane's maximum gross weight limitation and the passenger and baggage loading. The pilot calculated an estimated flight time of about 2 hours and believed he had adequate fuel on board, including a 30-minute reserve.
Approximately 15 miles from the destination airport, the right fuel tank ran dry and the engine began to run rough. The pilot switched the fuel selector to the left fuel tank, which at that time indicated about 45 pounds of fuel. As the airplane neared the destination airport, the engine lost power. The pilot restarted the engine intermittently for a few seconds, but the engine lost power for the final time when the airplane was about 2 miles from the airport.
Forced Landing and Impact
After declaring an emergency, the pilot conducted a forced landing to a field. As the airplane neared touchdown, it impacted a telephone line.
Pilot Statement
The pilot reported to first responders that he had mismanaged his fuel and had elected not to refuel at an airport he had passed over that was located 66 nautical miles northeast of the final destination.