What happened
On November 18, 2025, a Cessna 401A, registration N6255Q, was conducting a Part 91 aerial observation flight near Eureka, North Carolina. The pilot reported that the aircraft had been topped off with 124 gallons of fuel prior to departure. The preflight inspection, takeoff, and initial climb to 17,000 feet were completed without incident.
During the flight, the pilot transferred fuel from the locker tanks to the main tanks and subsequently switched to the auxiliary tanks. The pilot operated on the auxiliary tanks until they reached the 5-gallon mark, at which point he switched back to the main tanks. Shortly after this switch, the left engine lost power. While the pilot was executing the emergency checklist, the right engine also lost power.
Unable to reach the intended airport, the pilot performed a forced landing in a field. Before impact, the pilot trimmed the aircraft for 120 knots, lowered the landing gear, and set the flaps to 10°. Upon landing, the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot sustained 1 minor injury and there were 0 fatalities.