Flight History and Fueling
A pilot rented a multiengine airplane for a 70-hour flight period over three weeks. The pilot and a passenger departed on a 4.4-hour flight, after which 73 gallons of fuel were added. Subsequently, the pilot flew two legs totaling 3.5 hours and refueled with 68.9 gallons. Two days later, the pilot departed on another leg lasting 2 hours. After a brief stop, with no additional refueling, the pilot departed on the accident leg.
Accident Sequence
About 1.5 hours after takeoff, during night instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the right engine lost power, followed shortly by the left engine. The pilot received radar vectors to an airport during the emergency descent and did not feather either propeller. The airplane descended clear of the clouds and landed in an open field, 6 miles short of the intended airport.
Post-Accident Examination
Examination of the wreckage revealed 3 quarts of fuel in the right wing tanks and 1 quart of fuel in the left wing tanks. No fuel stains were noted on the fuselage, wings, or ground. The capacity of the airplane's main and auxiliary fuel tanks was measured and verified during the investigation.
Engine Testing and Fuel Analysis
The engines were removed and test run, operating normally. Fuel burn during the tests was consistent with the airplane's manual. Based on the average fuel consumption observed during previous legs of the trip, approximately 39 gallons of fuel were unaccounted for at the accident scene.