Incident Overview
During a flight in contact with Cancun, Mexico, approach control, the pilot reported a failure of the fuel system, stating that the airplane was gliding. Subsequently, radio and radar contact was lost when the aircraft was approximately 2,300 feet MSL on the 066-degree radial at 45 DME from the Cancun VOR. The airplane did not arrive at its planned destination, prompting an air and sea search that yielded negative results.
Fuel System Details
The aircraft was equipped with an auxiliary fuel tank that, by design, transferred fuel using an electric pump to the right main fuel tank. No emergency backup system existed for the electric pump. The fuel system failure was reported by the pilot before contact was lost.
Flight Authorization
A special flight permit had been issued by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) for the flight. The operating limitations specified that carriage of persons other than essential crew was prohibited.
Weather Conditions
No significant adverse weather existed along the route of flight.