What happened
During a cross-country flight lasting several hours, the pilot completed a passenger drop-off and proceeded on a return leg of approximately two hours without refueling. As the aircraft transitioned onto its final approach, the pilot experienced a surge in the right engine. In an attempt to maintain control, the pilot decreased power to the right engine and increased power to the left; however, this resulted in a right-hand roll. To counteract the roll, the pilot subsequently reduced power to the left engine, leading to an emergency landing in an alleyway.
Before the aircraft struck overhead wires, the pilot retracted the landing gear and moved the condition levers to the cut-off position. The descent ended in a sequence of impacts involving power lines, a tree, a natural gas meter, a fence, and two residential buildings. The impact caused the fuel tanks to rupture, necessitating the use of fire retardant foam by emergency responders. Post-impact testing of water runoff showed no petroleum contamination.
Findings
Investigations into the engine systems revealed that the fuel lines connecting the firewalls to the fuel heaters, as well as the lines between the fuel pumps and fuel control units, were empty of fuel. This lack of fuel in both engines was a critical factor in the loss of power during the approach.