Accident
The aircraft crashed in a wooded area during a forced landing following a power loss on both of its engines. The accident occurred after the pilot executed a touch-and-go landing at Fort Lauderdale, Florida. During the maneuver, the fuel pressure lights, which had been flickering, illuminated steadily on the right engine. The pilot cut the mixture on that engine at 500 feet above ground level. Almost immediately, the left engine's fuel pressure light came on and the engine quit. The aircraft was crash-landed.
Background
Prior to the accident flight, the aircraft had been flown from Opa-Locka, Florida, to Bimini. Upon returning to Fort Lauderdale, the landing gear had to be manually operated due to a known pre-existing electrical problem, which also precluded radio communications. The aircraft owner stated that approximately 145 gallons of fuel were on board before departing Florida. The aircraft flew for about 1 hour and 20 minutes at a fuel consumption rate of 50 gallons per hour, and about 75 gallons of fuel was drained at Bimini.
Post-Accident Examination
Post-accident examination revealed that all fuel tanks were empty.
Probable Cause
Official findings determined the probable cause to be the pilot's inadequate preflight and fuel supply planning, leading to fuel exhaustion and total loss of engine power.