Incident Overview
A pilot reported that during a flight, he encountered a situation where the fuel mixture control became frozen, preventing him from leaning the mixture to a lower fuel flow setting. This occurred after climbing to a cruise altitude of 14,000 feet above ground level. The pilot had added fuel at a previous stop and was relying on a fuel totalizer to determine the quantity of fuel onboard.
Decision to Continue
Despite being aware of increased fuel consumption due to the inability to lean the mixture, the pilot briefly considered making an en route fuel stop but ultimately decided to continue towards his destination.
Loss of Power and Emergency Landing
During the descent, the airplane experienced a complete loss of power in both engines. The pilot executed an emergency off-field landing with the landing gear retracted, approximately 7 miles from the destination. The airplane impacted terrain and thick scrub trees, resulting in substantial damage to both wings, both engine mounts, and the fuselage.
Postaccident Findings
A postaccident examination revealed that only a trace of fuel remained in the aircraft. The pilot stated that there was no mechanical malfunction or failure involved. He attributed the incident to his inadequate fuel management, which he partly blamed on becoming overconfident in his abilities after 50 years of flying experience.