Background
The flight departed from a private airport that did not have fuel available for purchase. The pilot reported that he elected to refuel while en route to his destination, instead of using other airports located near the departure airport.
Flight
Upon reaching the airport where he intended to refuel, the pilot found it was closed and diverted to another airport. At that time, he noticed that the airplane's fuel gauge needles were "bouncing off empty." The airplane subsequently experienced a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.
Forced Landing
The pilot performed a forced landing to a field. The landing resulted in substantial damage to the firewall and forward portion of the fuselage.
Pilot Statement
The pilot stated that he did not experience any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane. He also noted that had he received a full weather briefing prior to the flight, he would have known about the closed airport and planned accordingly.