Incident
A pilot, who was the sole occupant, was performing a ferry flight from Honolulu, Hawaii, to Van Nuys, California. While cruising along the coast of Maui Island, both engines failed simultaneously. Unable to maintain a safe altitude, the pilot ditched the aircraft approximately 22 miles offshore. The pilot was rescued, while the aircraft sank and was lost.
Probable Cause
The official investigation determined the probable cause to be a double engine failure in flight following a fuel exhaustion.
Reported Factors
The following factors were reported in the investigation:
- Inadequate preflight preparation
- Improper in-flight decisions
- Mismanagement of fuel
- Miscalculated fuel consumption
- Fuel exhaustion
- Pilot became lost/disoriented
- HF communication inoperative