Incident Overview
During a night cross-country flight, a pilot encountered problems with the airplane's global positioning system (GPS) and decided to land to recharge the battery. After becoming airborne again, the pilot experienced further GPS issues and received vectors to the destination airport.
Approach Difficulties
While in the vicinity of the destination airport, the pilot was unable to activate the airport's runway lights and could not see the airport beacon. Consequently, the pilot selected an alternate airport located 45 miles away.
Fuel Exhaustion and Forced Landing
En route to the alternate airport, the airplane's fuel supply was exhausted, resulting in a complete loss of engine power. During the ensuing forced landing, the main landing gear collapsed, and the airplane came to rest upright in a ditch. The pilot and passengers were able to exit the aircraft unassisted.
Flight Planning Review
A review of flight planning publications for the destination airport revealed that the rotating beacon was listed as out of service. Additionally, a frequency other than the Common Traffic Advisory Frequency (CTAF) was needed to activate the runway lights. Federal Aviation Regulations (FAR) require a pilot flying at night to have enough fuel to arrive at the intended destination plus an additional 45 minutes' worth of fuel.