What happened
During the final approach to the destination airport, the pilot was maneuvering the aircraft type following instructions from air traffic control to intercept a 6-mile final. Approximately 1.5 miles from the runway, the left engine ceased operation. The pilot attempted to restore power by switching the fuel valve to the left inboard tank, which successfully restarted the engine. However, shortly thereafter, the right engine also failed. A second attempt to restart the right engine by repositioning the fuel valve was unsuccessful, as the left engine failed a second time. Consequently, the pilot performed a forced landing in a nearby field.
Findings
Post-accident investigations of the engine and airframe systems showed no mechanical defects that would have prevented standard operation. While the pilot believed sufficient fuel was available based on previous flight calculations, he had not performed a visual inspection of the fuel levels prior to departure. Investigators discovered that the left wing fuel tanks were completely empty. Although no fuel leakage was observed at the crash site, the pilot noted fuel dripping from the right wing vent following the impact, which may have been a small amount of unusable fuel. The evidence, including the empty tanks and the sequential loss of power in both engines, is consistent with fuel exhaustion.