What happened
During a cross-country flight spanning 507 nautical miles, a private pilot experienced a total loss of engine power while approaching the destination airport. Prior to takeoff, the pilot noted that the fuel gauges indicated a total of 1,600 pounds of fuel, with 800 pounds distributed to each side. However, the pilot did not perform a visual verification of the actual fuel levels in the tanks before departure.
As the aircraft approached the airport, the right engine began to sputter and eventually ceased operation. Shortly thereafter, the left engine also failed. Although the aircraft's auto-ignition system attempted to restart the engines, they only ran momentarily before failing again. The pilot declared an emergency and performed a forced landing on a street. During the descent and impact, the right wing struck a telephone pole, and the left wing collided with several tree limbs before the aircraft struck a hill and came to a rest.
Findings
An investigation by the FAA revealed that the fuel transfer switch was set to the right-crossfeed position at the time of the accident. While the fuel system showed no signs of leaks or mechanical anomalies, the amount of fuel remaining in the engines was extremely low. Investigators discovered roughly three-quarters of a gallon of unusable fuel in the right engine nacelle and approximately four gallons (28 pounds) of usable fuel in the left engine nacelle.