Accident Overview
The airplane collided with terrain while executing a forced landing to a road after both engines lost power during the initial climb following takeoff. The aircraft came to rest on an embankment with the left main landing gear extended and intact, and the right wing tip supporting the aircraft. Both engines separated from the wings; the right engine lay in front of the right wing and the left engine under the left wing.
Recovery and Examination
During recovery operations, the airplane was placed on a trailer in a level attitude. Investigators drained 7 gallons of fuel from each inboard fuel tank, and no fuel was drained from the outboard fuel tanks, totaling 14 gallons. Both engines were examined, and at the conclusion, no evidence of any preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction was found.
Fuel Status and Planning
Review of fueling records indicated that at the beginning of the accident flight, the airplane had approximately 11 gallons of fuel in each inboard fuel tank, for a total of 22 gallons. The unusable fuel was 3 gallons per inboard tank. The pilot had intended to fly to an airport located approximately 30 miles south, and each engine consumed approximately 24 gallons per hour.
Flight Manual Information
The airplane flight manual was reviewed for low fuel procedures and limitations. The shape of the wing fuel tanks is such that in certain maneuvers the fuel may move away from the tank outlet. If the outlet is uncovered, the fuel flow will be interrupted and a temporary loss of power may result. Normal and running turning takeoffs are not to be made when the inboard tanks are less than one-quarter full as fuel flow interruption may occur. Prior to the accident, low fuel procedures were listed in the advisory section near the end of the Pilot's Operating Handbook (POH). After the accident, the manufacturer moved the procedures to the Normal Procedures section of the POH.