What happened
The pilot was conducting a 15-minute positioning flight when, approximately 4 miles from the intended destination, both engines lost power. The pilot subsequently performed an emergency landing in an open field, during which the aircraft struck trees. At the time of departure, the pilot reported having approximately 800 pounds of fuel on board and believed the gauges showed roughly 300 pounds remaining at the moment the power loss occurred.
The investigation
Post-accident examination of the fuel system revealed that over 200 pounds of fuel remained in the forward tank, while the rear tank indicated 30 pounds. Investigators found that both boost pumps were functional. However, a discrepancy was noted between the two pumps: the rear tank boost pump failed to extinguish the low fuel pressure light, whereas the forward tank boost pump functioned correctly. Additionally, the investigation determined that the low fuel quantity light for the aft tank—which is designed to illuminate when fuel levels reach approximately 100 pounds—was inoperative because of a corroded wire connection.