Background
During preflight planning, the pilot estimated the fuel quantity to be 40 gallons based on calculations of fuel burn from two previous flights. The intended flight plan included a destination landing with a reserve of 45 minutes of fuel.
The Incident
En route, the airplane encountered winds that were stronger than forecast, which caused higher-than-anticipated fuel consumption. On descent for landing, the engine experienced a total loss of power. The pilot initially attempted to glide to the runway but opted to land on a freeway when, according to the pilot, "airspeed and maintenance on the glide slope slipped away." The airplane touched down in the middle lanes of the freeway, skidded across the pavement, and came to rest in a ditch.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane after the accident. The inspection revealed that both fuel tanks were devoid of fuel. Additionally, no pre-impact mechanical anomalies were identified, indicating that the engine failure was attributable to fuel exhaustion rather than a mechanical fault. The landing impact resulted in substantial damage to the right wing and the horizontal stabilizer.