Forced Landing and Terrain Impact Due to Fuel Exhaustion (N269JG)

Incident Overview and Sequence of Events During descent toward its destination, the pilot informed air traffic control that a fuel shortage required a change to a closer airport. A controller directed the pilot to land at an airport 4 miles away. After contacting the alternate airport's tower and reporting low fuel, the pilot was cleared to land. Approximately 30 seconds later, the pilot stated he would not reach the airport. The aircraft then struck a field 3.25 miles southeast of the destination. Witnesses reported the engine sputtering and sounding abnormal. Power lines crossed the field 311 feet from the impact point, suggesting the pilot may have been attempting to avoid them during the forced landing before an inadvertent stall and collision with terrain occurred.