What happened
The flight departed Fort Myers, Florida, at 0550 and arrived at Key West, Florida, at 0655. The pilot then departed Key West at 0710 for the return leg of the journey. At 0722, the pilot reported to Air Route Traffic Control Center (ARTCC) that he was experiencing an engine failure and could not obtain any fuel pressure. The aircraft was subsequently ditched approximately 29 miles south of Marco, Florida, in the Gulf of Mexico.
The pilot stated that upon departure from Fort Myers, he estimated he had between 40 and 50 gallons of fuel using the cockpit gauges. He did not check the mechanical gauges in the wings, which had just been changed and calibrated on March 6, 1984. The pilot, who had previously flown the aircraft, estimated there was about 20 gallons of fuel on board when he parked the aircraft. The aircraft was not refueled prior to departing Fort Myers or at Key West.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the discrepancy between the cockpit gauge readings and the actual fuel quantity in the tanks. The mechanical gauges in the wings had been replaced and calibrated recently, suggesting that the cockpit gauges may have provided inaccurate information regarding the remaining fuel supply. The pilot's reliance on these unverified cockpit gauges without cross-checking the newly calibrated mechanical indicators played a significant role in the outcome.
Findings
The primary contributing factor was fuel exhaustion. The pilot failed to ensure adequate fuel supplies for the return flight, relying on inaccurate cockpit gauge readings instead of verifying the actual fuel quantity using the mechanical gauges. The lack of refueling at either Fort Myers or Key West further exacerbated the situation, leading to the eventual loss of engine power and the forced ditching in the Gulf of Mexico.