A ROOKIE pilot who dramatically crash-landed on one of Tasmania's busiest highways ran out of fuel, an aviation investigation has found.
Almost eight months after Patrick Humphries, 19, miraculously walked away without injury, the Australian Transport Safety Bureau concluded the light aircraft's fuel gauge was faulty.
The investigation also revealed that a modified dip-stick, an out-of-date safety book and pilot error contributed to the crash which made international news.
Mr Humphries was
praised as a hero pilot who dodged houses and cars before gliding under an overpass
after the engine of his aircraft stalled on April 4.
But his crash sparked a furious debate about whether he should have been flying his plane so close to the city and led to his family publicly defending his actions.
The Australian Defence Force recruit had chartered the Victa Airtourer to practise aerobatics 3000 feet over Ralphs Bay, south-east of Hobart, before descending to take a scenic tour over Hobart.
His heart sank as the engine stalled at 10.20am, when he was flying at 1600 feet and travelling south towards the Tasman Bridge.
He considered crash-landing on sports fields before settling for the Brooker Highway, where he ducked an overpass, clipped an embankment and spun out of control near Clearys Gates.
The ATSB report, which is due for public release tomorrow, ends months of speculation.
The investigation revealed that when the engine stopped the fuel gauge indicated there was 55 litres of fuel left in the tank.
Investigators could not determine the exact cause of the false reading, but suggested that "wrinkles" in the bottom of the fuel tank could have contributed.
Investigators also found that modifications to the aircraft's dip-stick gave Mr Humphries a false reading of the fuel level and subsequent flight time when he took off from the Cambridge aerodrome.
The report said that had the aircraft's out-of-date Civil Aviation Safety Authority Airworthiness Directive been relevant, any false reading could have been identified and fixed before the accident.
But the report also identified that Mr Humphries miscalculated the fuel by using figures that were not appropriate for the aircraft and engine combination.
"Application of the appropriate fuel consumption rates to the pilot's flights over the weekend showed that there was insufficient fuel on board for the occurrence flight," the report said.
Speaking from Canberra yesterday, Mr Humphries said he did not blame anyone for the accident.
"I accept that what happened has happened, I'm not angry about that," he said.
Mr Humphries said he was now focused on his ADF career, having just successfully completed his first year of study.
He said he hoped to have a successful career as a pilot once he graduated in 2012.