Accident Overview
The pilot reported that the left engine lost power on a very short final approach. Shortly thereafter, he heard the stall warning. The airplane rolled and yawed left, then crashed nose-down short of the runway.
Examination Findings
An FAA inspector examined the aircraft the following day. No evidence of a mechanical malfunction was found. The left main tank contained only 3 gallons of fuel. The right main tank and both auxiliary tanks had sustained impact damage and were empty. The instrument panel displayed a placard, installed in accordance with Airworthiness Directive 69-15-09, stating that operations with less than 5 gallons in each main tank were prohibited.
Pilot Reports
The pilot indicated that he believed the unusable fuel quantity was 1 gallon per tank. He reported that the fuel gauges had indicated 7 gallons in each main tank and 10 to 11 gallons in each auxiliary tank during the final approach. Shortly after the accident, he found an estimated 5 to 7 gallons of fuel remaining in the left main tank. He noted that he had stopped using the auxiliary tanks earlier in the flight when the right engine began to run rough; the roughness ceased when he switched back to the main tanks.