Amateur-built RV-7 N707HK accident near Rockwall, Texas

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to verify the airplane's actual fuel quantity before departure, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion and the subsequent forced landing.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that, during the final portion of the planned 2 hour 15 minute cross-country flight, about 10 miles from the destination airport and while descending through 4,000 ft mean sea level, the engine began to run roughly and eventually lost total power. The airplane had insufficient altitude remaining to glide to the closest airport, so the pilot completed a forced landing to a nearby road. The pilot had to maneuver the airplane over a row of trees shortly before landing, which reduced the airspeed below best glide speed, and, as a result, the airplane landed hard on the road. The airplane bounced and came to rest on its landing gear in a ditch located alongside the road.

A postaccident visual examination established that there was no usable fuel in either wing fuel tank. Additionally, both wing tanks appeared to be undamaged, and there was no evidence of a fuel leak. The pilot reported that the airplane was equipped with capacitive fuel sending units in each wing fuel tank; however, since their installation, the fuel sending units had been unreliable in providing accurate fuel levels. He stated that he added 14 gallons of fuel to the right fuel tank and estimated that the airplane fuel load was about 29 gallons before departure, which would have provided adequate fuel for the flight; however, he did not visually confirm or measure the actual amount of fuel in the left wing fuel tank, which was not refueled before departure. The pilot reported that the total loss of engine power experienced during the accident flight was due to fuel exhaustion. Additionally, the pilot stated that the accident could have been prevented if he had verified the actual amount of fuel available in both fuel tanks before departing on the flight.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN14LA293 for the full record.