Event Summary
During cruise flight at an altitude of 1,600 feet mean sea level, the airplane's engine sputtered and subsequently lost all power. At the time of the power loss, the fuel selector was positioned to the left main fuel tank. The pilot attempted to restart the engine, but it did not restart. The pilot then performed a forced landing to a road, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing.
Pilot Report and Examination
After the incident, the pilot reported that he might have run the left fuel tank out of fuel. Examination of the left fuel tank revealed that it was empty. The airplane had flown 2.16 hours since its last fueling. The left main fuel tank had a capacity of 22 gallons of fuel, and the engine consumed about 11 gallons per hour during cruise flight. Examination of the wreckage did not reveal any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.