Accident Overview
A twin-engine aircraft departed Kenora, Ontario, on a flight to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with an intermediate stop at International Falls Airport. The aircraft carried eight passengers and a pilot. During the flight, both engines failed. Air traffic control vectored the pilot to Watertown Airport for an emergency landing. On approach, the pilot determined that the runway could not be reached. The landing gear was raised, and a belly landing was executed in a field. The aircraft slid for several yards before coming to rest. All nine occupants sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was the failure of both engines and the subsequent wheels-up landing, caused by fuel exhaustion. The following contributing factors were reported: inadequate preflight preparation on the part of the pilot, mismanagement of fuel, miscalculation of fuel consumption, fuel exhaustion, intentional wheels-up landing, approach completed on a closed runway, and failure to refuel.