What happened
While performing a landing approach at the airport, the pilot of a multi-engine airplane encountered surging in both engines. In an attempt to address the issue, the pilot tried to transition the fuel supply to the auxiliary tanks. During this procedure, the pilot accidentally moved the fuel selector for the left engine to the off position. This error caused the left engine to lose all power.
As the aircraft was on its final approach, it struck the ground. The impact was followed by a fire that consumed the wreckage. The exact amount of fuel remaining in the tanks at the time of the crash was not established.
Findings
An investigation into the aircraft's mechanical condition found no malfunctions or defects in the engines or onboard systems that would have prevented the engines from functioning correctly. The investigation identified that the incorrect manipulation of the fuel selector led to the loss of power in the left engine.