Fuel exhaustion Accident Piper PA-24-250 N5253P, Friday 12 August 2022

You can contribute by submitting additional or updated information.

Date:	Friday 12 August 2022
Time:	15:57 LT
Type:	Piper PA-24-250
Owner/operator:	Whitten Ranch Inc
Registration:	N5253P
MSN:	24-285
Year of manufacture:	1958
Total airframe hrs:	3303 hours
Engine model:	Lycoming O-540
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 1
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Substantial
Category:	Accident
Location:	Kearney, Nebraska - United States of America
Phase:	En route
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Cozad Municipal Airport, NE (KCZD)
Destination airport:	Kearney, NE
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
The pilot reported that while on a short cross-country flight and near his destination airport, the airplane's engine lost power. The pilot subsequently performed a wheels-up landing on a gravel road. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right side of the fuselage. A postaccident inspection of the airplane at the accident site revealed that both wing fuel tanks were empty. No other preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions were found with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The loss of engine power was due to fuel exhaustion.

Probable Cause: The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning that resulted in a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion.

Accident investigation: