Cessna 177 N30703 accident near Hopkinton, Rhode Island

Probable cause

The pilot's failure to accurately determine the airplane's fuel quantity before the flight, which resulted in a total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

NTSB analysis

The private pilot planned to fly the airplane to another airport to purchase fuel. Before departing, he used a wooden stick to estimate the airplane's fuel level. While en route, the engine abruptly lost power. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and executed a forced landing to a field; the airplane struck trees, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Postaccident examination of the accident site, the airplane's fuel tanks, and components of the airplane's fuel system revealed only trace quantities of fuel. Thus, it is likely that the pilot overestimated the airplane's fuel quantity before departing on the flight and that the engine lost power due to fuel exhaustion.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA17LA040 for the full record.