Incident Overview
A 2,100-hour instrument-rated private pilot reported that before departing on a 507-nautical-mile cross-country flight, the fuel gauges indicated approximately 800 pounds of fuel on each side, for a total of 1,600 pounds. However, the pilot did not visually check the amount of fuel in the tanks.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
During the approach to the destination airport, the right engine began to sputter and then quit. The pilot then observed that both fuel gauges were showing empty. Shortly thereafter, the left engine also quit. The airplane's auto ignition system attempted to restart the engines, which momentarily restarted but then shut off again.
The pilot declared an emergency and executed a forced landing onto a street. The landing was hard, during which the right wing struck a telephone pole and the left wing hit several tree limbs before the airplane impacted a hill and came to a stop.
Post-Accident Examination
A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector responded to the accident site and found the fuel transfer switch in the "right-crossfeed" position. An examination of the fuel system revealed no leaks or anomalies. Approximately three-quarters of a gallon of unusable fuel was found in the right engine nacelle, and about four gallons (28 pounds) of usable fuel was found in the left engine nacelle.
Probable Cause
The probable cause of the accident was the loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion as a result of the pilot's inadequate preflight and in-flight planning and preparation.