What happened
The incident began at Calexico Municipal Airport in California. The pilot instructed a lineman to fill the aircraft's fuel tanks completely before departing. After ensuring the refueling was complete, the pilot walked away from the aircraft to clear customs procedures. Upon returning, he loaded his passengers and departed the airport.
Approximately three and a half hours into the flight, the engine stopped unexpectedly. The pilot initiated an emergency procedure and force-landed the aircraft onto a nearby golf course. The aircraft continued moving after touchdown and came to rest at the bottom of a hill, where it became entangled in a barbed wire fence.
The investigation
Following the accident, investigators examined the aircraft to determine the cause of the engine failure. A thorough inspection of the fuel system was conducted to assess the state of the fuel supply at the time of the incident.
Findings
The examination of the fuel tanks revealed that both were completely empty. This lack of fuel directly led to the engine stopping during flight. The fuel exhaustion prevented the pilot from maintaining powered flight, necessitating the emergency landing on the golf course and subsequent impact with the terrain and fence.