Fuel Exhaustion During Cross-Country Flight Results in Emergency Field Landing

Incident Overview and Fuel Planning Details The pilot was operating the return leg of a cross-country flight when the engine lost power, prompting an emergency landing in a field. During the landing, the airplane's elevator sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that the aircraft was fully fueled before departing on the first leg of the trip, though the duration of that initial leg was not provided. The pilot also stated that concerns about the weather at the destination led him to forgo adding fuel before the accident flight in order to expedite his return. He had planned the flight at 7,000 feet mean sea level and believed he had sufficient fuel onboard at that altitude. ## Flight Progression and Loss of Power After approximately one hour of flight, air traffic control (ATC) directed the pilot to climb to 9,000 feet and rerouted the flight. The pilot stated that he became concerned about his fuel status at that time due to the climb and a change in wind, but elected to continue to his destination. The engine quit due to fuel exhaustion about 30 minutes later, approximately 20 miles short of the intended destination. ## Pilot Communication and Emergency Response At no time during the flight did the pilot express concerns about the lack of fuel onboard to ATC, request a diversion to a closer airport, or declare an emergency.