Accident Overview
The pilot of a Cessna 310 reported that after departing, both engines lost power at an altitude of 13,000 feet. The pilot made an emergency landing in a field. Post-accident examination of the aircraft showed that the main fuel tanks were empty while the auxiliary tanks remained nearly full.
Fuel System Misunderstanding
The pilot stated after the accident that he was not familiar with the fuel system of the Cessna 310. In this aircraft, the main fuel tanks are located on the wing tips, and the auxiliary tanks are in the wings. The pilot believed the opposite configuration.
During the flight, the aircraft was burning fuel from the main tanks. When the engines quit, the pilot switched the fuel selector to the auxiliary tanks but did not achieve a restart after 10 seconds. He then switched back to the main tanks and was still unable to restart the engines.
According to engineers from the Cessna Aircraft Company, the average time required for fuel to flow to the engines after moving the selector valve from one tank position to another is approximately 15 seconds.
Emergency Landing
The pilot was aware that none of the fuel gauges on the aircraft were working. After the engines failed, the pilot performed an emergency landing in a field. No further details about the outcome were provided in the source.