Incident Summary
During flight, the pilot observed a fuel imbalance, with a greater quantity of fuel remaining in the left main tanks compared to the right. Both engines subsequently lost power when the fuel supply from the right main tanks was depleted, necessitating a forced landing. The pilot did not utilize the crossfeed function to access the approximately fifty gallons of fuel still present in the left main tanks. Specifically, positioning the right fuel selector to crossfeed would have allowed the right engine to draw from the left tanks.
Investigation Findings
Post-event inspection revealed that the left fuel selector valve was not seated in its detent. As a result, both engines had been drawing fuel exclusively from the right main tanks during the flight. Furthermore, O-rings within the fuel valve assembly had deteriorated, causing the spool valve to feel as though it was correctly positioned in the detent when it was not.