Cessna 172F N8793U accident near Rancho Murieta, California

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power in flight due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate fuel planning.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that when he was about 7 miles from his intended destination the engine began to run rough and lost all power about one minute later. He unsuccessfully attempted to restart the engine multiple times. The pilot decided to try to land at a closer airport but realized he would not be able to make it to that airport, either, so he elected to land in an open field. During landing the airplane bounced and the right wing collided with a tree, which spun the airplane around. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both wings. Local fire department first responders reported that when they arrived on scene there were no fuel leaks and there was no odor of fuel present on-scene. They attempted to drain fuel from the sump but no fuel came out. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane and reported that there was no fuel at the selector valve or in the wing tanks. The pilot stated that "... adding additional fuel in excess of [the] perceived minimum fuel level would likely have avoided [the] power loss...."

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR10CA311 for the full record.