ANC07LA045

The commercial certificated pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91. The pilot told an FAA inspector that the fuel gauges read between one-quarter and empty prior to the accident flight. The engine lost power in cruise flight, and during a forced landing on a dirt road, the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported no preaccident mechanical anomalies, and that during the accident the airplane received damage to the wings, horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage. In a written report, the pilot noted that due to the small amount of fuel found at the accident site, he believed fuel exhaustion was the cause of the accident.

On June 7, 2007, about 0605 central daylight time, a Cessna 177 airplane, N2845X, sustained substantial damage when it collided with trees during an emergency landing on a dirt road, about 15 miles southwest of the Bibb County Airport, Centreville, Alabama. The airplane was being operated by the pilot as a visual flight rules (VFR) cross-country personal flight under Title 14, CFR Part 91, when the accident occurred. The solo commercial certificated pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed Centreville about 0600.

In a written statement to the NTSB dated June 17, the pilot wrote that during the preflight inspection both fuel tank gauges indicated between one-quarter full and empty. He reported that he felt there was sufficient fuel for the 15 minute flight to the Marion Airport, Marion, Alabama. He wrote that about 8 minutes into the flight the engine lost all power, and he made an emergency landing on a dirt road. During the landing the wings, fuselage, and horizontal stabilizer received substantial damage. In the report, the pilot noted that based on the small amount of fuel found at the [accident] site, he believed fuel exhaustion was the cause of the accident.