Accident Overview
During the final approach of a cross-country flight, the right engine of the airplane experienced a loss of power while the aircraft was between 300 and 500 feet above ground level. The pilot determined that the airplane could not maintain level flight and elected to perform a precautionary landing on a residential street approximately two miles from the destination airport. During the landing, the left wing collided with a fence and erupted in flames.
Fuel and Examination Findings
Following the accident, recovery personnel found about one gallon of fuel in the right fuel tank, which remained intact. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the wreckage and noted no mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. However, both fuel selector valves were observed to be positioned to the right fuel tank.
Pilot Actions and Aircraft Documentation
The pilot reported fueling the airplane at the departure airport with 70 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel, bringing the total fuel on board to 115 gallons (57.5 gallons per tank). The Pilot's Operating Handbook specifies that during normal flight, the left and right fuel selectors should be set to the LEFT MAIN and RIGHT MAIN tanks, respectively. When both selectors are positioned to the same tank, that tank supplies both engines.
Based on the estimated fuel burn rate of 38 gallons per hour and a flight time of 1.5 hours, the total fuel consumption for both engines would have been 57 gallons. The handbook also indicates that with one engine inoperative, the airplane should have been able to achieve at least a 500-foot-per-minute climb.