What happened
During a preflight inspection, the pilot examined the fuel level sight gauges but did not observe a meniscus point within the clear tubes. Based on this observation, the pilot assumed the tanks were completely full and that the entire sight gauge was filled with fuel.
Approximately five minutes after takeoff, the aircraft experienced fuel exhaustion. During the subsequent forced landing, the aircraft nosed over while traversing soft, brushy terrain. The nose-over occurred as the pilot applied excessive braking in an attempt to stop the aircraft before reaching a line of trees. The pilot was not injured.
Findings
Following the accident, a review of the fueling log revealed that the fuel tanks had been almost completely empty prior to departure. The lack of a visible meniscus point in the sight gauges was due to the lines being filled with air rather than fuel. The investigation determined that the pilot had not performed a visual check of the actual fuel tanks during the preflight process.