Background
On September 29, 2012, about 1430 central daylight time, a Cessna 421B, registration N1537T, operated by a private individual, was substantially damaged during a forced landing on a dirt road after the total loss of power on the right engine and a partial loss of power on the left engine. The pilot and three passengers were not injured. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91 in visual meteorological conditions; no flight plan was filed. The flight departed H. L. Sonny Callahan Airport, Fairhope, Alabama (CQF), destined for Craig Field Airport, Selma, Alabama (SEM).
Accident Sequence
According to the pilot's interview with an FAA inspector, he departed CQF en route to Tuscaloosa, Alabama for a football game, but decided to stop at SEM for lunch, cheap gas, and sightseeing. Ten minutes after departure, the pilot switched from the left and right main tanks to the left auxiliary tank for the left engine and the right auxiliary tank for the right engine. While descending from 4,500 feet msl en route to SEM, the right engine began to cough and lose power, then quit due to fuel starvation. The pilot switched the right fuel selector valve to the right main tank, but later stated he might have placed it in the left main position. Unable to restart the right engine, the pilot feathered its propeller. About two minutes later, the left engine began to cough and lose power rapidly. The pilot recalled to the FAA inspector that both fuel selector valves should have been on left main tank, but in a statement to an NTSB investigator, he reported his last action was placing the left fuel selector in the left auxiliary position. The airplane continued under partial power on the left engine for about six minutes, descending to 800 feet msl. At 600 feet msl and six miles south of SEM, the pilot announced to passengers they would not reach the destination and selected a forced landing site. He then checked boost pumps and placed the left fuel selector back to the left auxiliary tank. The airplane touched down on a dirt road, crossed a bridge, clipped a tree, and came to rest in a cotton field.
Postaccident Examination
An FAA inspector examined the airplane and found substantial damage to the right wing main tank, right aileron, and buckling on the right lower wing aft spar area about two feet out from the fuselage and four feet inboard of the wing tip. No fuel fumes, leakage, or pooling were observed at the resting site. Visual inspection of the left main, left auxiliary, and left wing locker tanks showed no visible fuel. The right wing locker tank was empty, the right main tank was destroyed, and the right auxiliary tank indicated about 20 gallons. Further examination revealed that both left and right fuel selector switches were in the left main tank detent. When battery power was applied and the fuel system configured for the right side to supply the right engine, the right engine received good flow and a clean fuel sample. When configured for the left tanks to supply the left engine, the left engine did not receive fuel for a sample. Crossfeeding the right side to the left engine produced a clean sample. Both engines were inspected with no anomalies or preflight conditions that would have precluded normal operations.
According to the pilot's written statement, on a previous day the airplane had 110 gallons of fuel onboard at last takeoff from CQF and 167 gallons on departure from SEM. The FAA inspector noted no fuel was purchased at CQF or SEM on the accident day from an airplane with the same registration. The last fuel receipt found was from SEM on August 23, 2012, for 142 gallons, but no cash or credit receipt was obtained. The pilot stated that on departure from CQF on the day of the accident, his fuel gauges read: right main 28 gallons, left main 31 gallons, right auxiliary about 20 gallons, left auxiliary about the same, and locker tanks 8 gallons and 0. According to the Cessna model 421 owner's manual, the airplane should be operated via main tank fuel supply during takeoff, landing, and all normal operations. When changing fuel selector valve positions, auxiliary fuel pumps should be switched to low, mixture to full rich, and the pilot should feel for the detent to ensure proper positioning.