Bellanca 17-30A N93747 accident near Morris, Illinois

Probable cause

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB analysis

The engine lost power as the airplane was turning onto the base leg in the traffic pattern. The pilot made a forced landing on a road about 4 miles south of the airport. During the landing roll, the airplane’s right wing struck a wooden road sign. The airplane swerved to the right, went off the road, and came to a stop in a plowed field. The day before the accident flight, the pilot fueled the airplane to capacity (79 gallons total of which 75 gallons were usable) and then flew 754 miles in 5 hours 46 minutes. The airplane was not refueled before the accident flight, which lasted 18 minutes 56 seconds. A postaccident examination showed no usable fuel in either wing tank. A download of data from the airplane's engine monitoring system showed a drop in fuel flow, manifold pressure, and oil pressure, consistent with fuel flow interruption, then fuel exhaustion. Fuel calculations performed after the accident suggested that the loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN13LA164 for the full record.