What happened
On February 26, 1999, after traveling from Seattle, Washington, to Fort Worth, Texas, the pilot began a flight in an aircraft type not specified that he intended to purchase. The flight departed Fort Worth Meacham International Airport for Denver, Colorado, with 144 gallons of fuel on board.
During the flight, the pilot utilized all available fuel in the auxiliary tanks and transitioned to the main tanks. Approximately 20 minutes after this transition, the left engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the left engine and manipulate the fuel cross-feed system. While turning the aircraft toward Lamar, Colorado, the right engine also lost power.
The pilot performed a forced landing, during which the nose wheel landing gear separated from the airplane. This separation caused subsequent damage to the nose cone and both engine mounts. There were no fatalities reported in the accident.
The investigation
A post-accident examination of the main fuel tanks showed that approximately 8 gallons had been consumed from each tank. Investigators found no evidence of abnormalities within the fuel feed system.