Accident Details
During the final leg of a long cross-country flight, the left engine lost power. Approximately fifteen minutes later, the right engine also lost power. The flight instructor initiated an emergency descent with the intention of landing on an interstate highway. During the descent, the aircraft struck power lines. The airplane subsequently landed on the highway, and during the landing roll, the right wing struck a sign post.
Investigation
Following the accident, an inspection of the fuel system revealed that approximately one gallon of fuel remained in the system. The flight instructor stated that he had intended to refuel at the last departure point. However, he mistakenly calculated the flight time to the final destination and decided not to refuel before departing.
Findings
The loss of engine power was attributed to fuel exhaustion. The flight instructor's miscalculation of flight time and the subsequent decision not to refuel led to the fuel state being insufficient to complete the flight. The forced landing on the highway resulted in impacts with power lines and a sign post.