What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) The pilot flew from the Kansas city, Missouri, area, to marion, Illinois, with one stop, in about 2.5 hours. He purchased 20 gallons of fuel there, thinking it left about 40 gallons for the return trip, which was planned to take about 2.7 hours. The POH indicates that the airplane should burn 10.5 gallons per hour at the power setting he normally uses. After refueling, he repositioned the airplane to pjy, a 15-minute flight, and left it outside all day. 2.5 hours into the night return flight, the engine failed due to fuel exhaustion, resulting in a night, off-airport, forced landing and substantial damage to the airplane. At no point after refueling was the fuel on board actually measured, but the pilot stated that the fuel gauges indicated nearly full prior to departure. The only physical fuel indicators are "full", or "to the tabs" in the tanks, which indicates 17.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) THE PILOT FLEW FROM THE KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, AREA, TO MARION, ILLINOIS, WITH ONE STOP, IN ABOUT 2.5 HOURS. HE PURCHASED 20 GALLONS OF FUEL THERE, THINKING IT LEFT ABOUT 40 GALLONS FOR THE RETURN TRIP, WHICH WAS PLANNED TO TAKE ABOUT 2.7 HOURS. THE POH INDICATES THAT THE AIRPLANE SHOULD BURN 10.5 GALLONS PER HOUR AT THE POWER SETTING HE NORMALLY USES. AFTER REFUELING, HE REPOSITIONED THE AIRPLANE TO PJY, A 15-MINUTE FLIGHT, AND LEFT IT OUTSIDE ALL DAY. 2.5 HOURS INTO THE NIGHT RETURN FLIGHT, THE ENGINE FAILED DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION, RESULTING IN A NIGHT, OFF-AIRPORT, FORCED LANDING AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRPLANE. AT NO POINT AFTER REFUELING WAS THE FUEL ON BOARD ACTUALLY MEASURED, BUT THE PILOT STATED THAT THE FUEL GAUGES INDICATED NEARLY FULL PRIOR TO DEPARTURE. THE ONLY PHYSICAL FUEL INDICATORS ARE "FULL", OR "TO THE TABS" IN THE TANKS, WHICH INDICATES 17.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.