What happened
While traveling from Lawrence, Massachusetts, toward the West Coast, the flight crew stopped to refuel. During this process, a malfunction with the fuel truck resulted in only 2-21 gallons being added to the aircraft. Although the crew performed sump tests that did not initially indicate significant water presence, they were alerted to potential contamination. During the subsequent flight to Burlington, Vermont, the pilots noted inaccurate fuel totalizer readings.
While cruising at an altitude of 41,000 feet, the pilot observed a low fuel pressure warning for the left engine. Shortly thereafter, the left engine lost power, and the right engine followed suit. The crew attempted to restart both engines as well as the auxiliary power unit, but all efforts failed. While attempting to reach the closest airport, the crew could not visually locate the runway in time. The aircraft type impacted a field, where it struck trees and an irrigation structure.
Findings
Investigations into the fuel system revealed that water-contaminated fuel was present within the fuel tanks, the filters, and the broader fuel system architecture. This contamination was a primary factor in the engine failures.