Incident Overview
A pilot was conducting a flight from Greeley, Colorado to Denver, Colorado to obtain minor maintenance on a cargo door. During the approach, as the aircraft was being vectored for final, the pilot reported that he believed the aircraft had fuel starvation. Subsequently, the aircraft was observed to make a complete roll and then crash in a residential area.
Fuel Examination
After the accident, investigators found only about 1.5 gallons of fuel in the right wing tank. The left wing and fuel tank were destroyed, but no odor of fuel was noted on the ground around the left wing. Additionally, a lack of fuel was noted in the fuel lines. The aircraft had not been refueled after the previous flight.
Previous Flight
The pilot who had flown the aircraft on the previous flight estimated that there was 100 pounds of fuel remaining in each tank after his flight. That flight ended without incident, but the aircraft was not refueled before the subsequent accident flight.
Probable Cause
The official findings list three occurrences. Occurrence #1: loss of engine power (total) - nonmechanical, during approach VFR pattern final approach. Contributing factors were improper preflight by the pilot in command, failure to refuel by the pilot in command, improper in-flight planning/decision by the pilot in command, and fuel starvation due to inadequate fuel supply by the pilot in command. Occurrence #2: loss of control - in flight, during approach, due to failure to maintain airspeed (Vmc) and aircraft control by the pilot in command. Occurrence #3: in flight collision with terrain/water during uncontrolled descent.