NTSB Factual Report

On May 6, 2001, about 1555 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172F, N8664U, registered to 908 Flying Club, operating as a Title 14 CFR Part 91 personal flight, lost power, and the pilot attempted a forced landing on a road, near Fort Pierce, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. A VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was substantially damaged. The private rated-pilot, and one passenger reported no injuries. The flight had departed from Key West International Airport, Florida, at 1320.

The pilot told NTSB and FAA investigators that he added 10 gallons of fuel at Key West. He was told that the airplane burned 8 gallons of fuel per hour. According to the pilot's statement, "...fuel burn information was determined by senior members of 908 Flying Club. After 2 hours 40 minutes of flight the engine quite. I executed an emergency landing on the road and clipped a street sign with the wing. The plan spun into ditch." He said he ran out of gas about 3 miles south of his intended landing airport. No fuel was found in the airplane's fuel tanks and no leaks were found.

According to the FAA inspector's statement, "...when the police arrived they...checked the fuel tanks. [They] stated the tanks appeared empty. [The FAA inspector] could not see any fuel in the tanks and there was no indication that any fuel had leaked...I asked [the pilot] if he noticed what the fuel gauges were reading prior to the engine quitting, and he said one had been showing completely empty, and one was bouncing between empty and 1/4 full...no other reason for the engine to stop could be found."

The pilot reported that he had a total 106 flight hours in all aircraft, and 48.8 hours in this make and model aircraft.

NTSB Probable Cause

a loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion which resulted in a forced landing, and subsequent impact with a sign and a ditch.