Incident Overview
While en route and approximately 60 nautical miles from the destination airport at 5,000 feet mean sea level, the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but those attempts were unsuccessful.
Landing and Damage
The pilot guided the airplane to a successful landing on a street. However, during the landing, the airplane's right wing impacted a street sign, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft.
Pilot Statement
In a statement following the incident, the pilot remarked: "If I had checked the fuel [prior to departure] I would have found that there was not enough fuel to complete the flight. The engine quit because there was no gas in the tanks."
Probable Cause
The pilot indicated that the engine power loss was due to fuel exhaustion, caused by an insufficient pre-flight fuel check.