What happened
The pilot reported that both engines began to surge shortly after takeoff while the aircraft was climbing. Subsequently, the engines lost power completely, prompting the pilot to execute a forced landing in a wooded area. The outside air temperature at the time of the incident was approximately 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
The investigation
A post-crash examination revealed that the fuel selectors were positioned for the inner tanks. The left inner tank was found to be empty with no evidence of leakage. The right inner tank was destroyed in the impact. The left outer tank was almost full, while the damaged right outer tank contained a partial amount of fuel. An examination of the engines several days later showed only trace amounts of fuel. No evidence of water contamination was found anywhere in the fuel system. The pilot stated that he took off with the fuel selectors on the outer tank positions and switched them to the inner positions after the engines began to surge.
Findings
The primary factor contributing to this accident was fuel exhaustion caused by the incorrect selection of fuel tanks during flight. Despite taking off with the correct configuration, the pilot's decision to switch to the inner tanks, which were empty or unavailable, resulted in a complete loss of engine power.