What happened
During the final approach phase at Gainesville Airport, the aircraft suffered a complete loss of power in both engines. Following the dual engine failure, the plane descended rapidly, making contact with trees before coming to rest within thick vegetation near the airfield. The accident resulted in two serious injuries among the occupants.
Findings
The investigation identified that the primary cause of the incident was a simultaneous failure of both engines stemming from improper preflight procedures. Several critical factors regarding fuel management contributed to the loss of power:
- The crew failed to properly manage the fuel supply, leading to fuel starvation.
- The fuel selector valve was incorrectly positioned between different tanks.
- There was a lack of familiarity with the specific aircraft systems by the pilot.
- At the time of the incident, the auxiliary tank and the left main tank were depleted.
- While the right main tank contained approximately 10 to 15 gallons, the selector for the right engine was set in a position between the left main and the right auxiliary tanks, preventing consistent fuel flow.