Incident Overview
An aircraft crashed into trees during a night forced landing after the engine stopped. According to a surviving passenger, he met the two pilots in a bar where they drank beer. The group later went to the airport and flew approximately 70 miles to eat and consume additional beer. They also took beer for the return trip.
Sequence of Events
During the flight back, the engine failed but was successfully restarted. However, it stopped again shortly thereafter, leading to a forced landing in darkness. The passenger reported that there was no fire because there was no fuel. Investigators found no fuel in either fuel tank.
Additional Findings
On the back seat floor, investigators found a cardboard box lined with plastic containing unmelted ice and beer. Toxicological tests revealed that the two pilots had blood alcohol levels of 0.217% and 0.386%.