August 2, 2011, Emmett, Idaho, Cessna 182A

At 1055 Mountain time, the airplane experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight and the pilot subsequently force-landed the airplane in a field. The private pilot sustained serious injuries and the airplane was substantially damaged. Visual conditions prevailed.

Editorial Staff

Tuesday, September 20, 2011 at 12:00 AM ET

Verified

Key Takeaways:

An airplane experienced a loss of engine power during cruise flight, leading to a force landing in a field.
The incident resulted in serious injuries to the private pilot and substantial damage to the aircraft.
The probable cause was suspected fuel exhaustion, as recovery personnel found the tanks empty and the pilot had flown approximately four hours since last refueling.

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The pilot estimated approximately four hours of flight time since he had last refueled. Airplane recovery personnel reported the fuel tanks were not breached and appeared exhausted of fuel.