What happened
During the descent phase of flight, a twin-engine airplane experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines. According to the pilot, the preflight inspection indicated approximately 30 gallons of fuel in the left tank and 35 gallons in the right tank. As the pilot initiated the descent for landing by pitching the nose down, the left fuel gauge dropped to zero.
A few minutes later, the right fuel gauge decreased from approximately 20 gallons to zero. Within seconds of this reading, the right engine lost power, followed shortly by the left engine. The pilot attempted a forced landing on a nearby road but decided to land in a grassy area adjacent to the road after observing active traffic on the roadway.
Upon touchdown, the right wing struck a metal fence post, causing the aircraft to come to rest nose down in a ditch. There were no injuries reported in the accident.
The investigation
An FAA inspector examined the aircraft's fuel system following the accident. The inspection revealed that there was no usable fuel remaining in the left fuel tank. While the right fuel tank was destroyed during the impact, investigators found no evidence of fuel spillage at the accident site. The investigation determined the primary cause of the engine failure was fuel exhaustion.