Incident Overview
A pilot reported refueling the airplane with approximately 3.5 inches of fuel, which equated to 15.5 gallons. According to the Pilot Operator Handbook, at 6,500 feet the fuel burn rate is roughly 13.9 gallons per hour. The pilot flew the airplane for about 1.5 hours before the accident.
Emergency Sequence
After dropping skydivers and returning to base, the engine began to run roughly. The pilot completed the emergency checklist but was unable to restart the engine. He declared an emergency and subsequently landed the aircraft in soft desert terrain. During the landing, the nose gear collapsed.
Post-Accident Inspection
An inspection of the airplane's fuel system and engine revealed a minor leak from the top of the fuel selector unit. No other anomalies were noted. A discrepancy sheet documented that the magnetos were not grounded, the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) and cylinder head temperature (CHT) gauges were inoperative, and that fuel needed to be in both tanks with the fuel selector in the both position.