Approach and Power Loss
The twin-engine airplane experienced a loss of power in both engines while approaching an uncontrolled airport for landing. The pilot completed the pre-landing checklist and confirmed that the fuel selectors were set to the main tanks. The fuel selector valve handles had not been moved since before takeoff, approximately 45 minutes earlier. The pilot believed fuel was being drawn from the main tanks throughout the flight.
As the airplane entered the landing pattern on crosswind leg, about half a mile to one mile from the departure end of the runway, the left engine began to surge. The fuel gauges indicated one-third tank, and the pilot, believing fuel supply was not an issue, feathered the left propeller and secured the left engine.
Continuing the approach, the pilot extended the downwind leg and turned onto base leg approximately 1.5 miles from the landing runway threshold. While turning onto final approach, the pilot lowered the landing gear. As the gear extended, the right engine began to surge. The pilot then suspected a fuel starvation problem and attempted to unfeather and restart the left engine. The airplane was settling rapidly, and the pilot recognized that reaching the runway or restarting the engines was not possible. He located a clearing beyond some houses and landed the airplane there.
Fuel System Configuration
The airplane was equipped with four fuel tanks: left main, left auxiliary, right main, and right auxiliary. The fuel quantity gauges indicated the fuel quantity in either the main tanks or the auxiliary tanks based on the position of a separate switch on the pilot's sub-panel. The pilot had set the fuel quantity gauge selector switch to indicate main tank quantity. The fuel selector valve handles were in the main tank position.
It is possible on this model airplane to select the fuel quantity gauges to indicate fuel quantity in the main tanks while the engines are, in fact, receiving fuel from the auxiliary tanks.
Recovery and Findings
The person who recovered the wreckage drained 23 gallons of fuel from each main tank, half a gallon from the left auxiliary tank, and one cup of fuel from the right auxiliary tank. Both engines were subsequently installed on a test stand and operated satisfactorily. No mechanical defects were noted on the airframe or engines.