What happened
During a nighttime international flight traveling northbound along the eastern coast of the United States, an aircraft encountered significant headwinds. Upon reaching its intended destination, the crew encountered weather conditions that were worse than previously forecasted, necessitating several instrument approach attempts. During the first missed approach, air traffic control suggested diverting to an airport 36 miles north where weather conditions were reportedly superior; however, the crew declined the suggestion because they needed to proceed to their destination to clear customs.
As the crew proceeded with a third approach attempt, the left engine failed. While being vectored for a fourth attempt, the right engine also lost power. Using GPS guidance, the pilot directed the aircraft toward the intersection of the airport's two runways. The aircraft touched down approximately 50 feet above the ground after the pilot identified runway lights. An attempt to deploy the landing gear was unsuccessful because the loss of engine power had depleted the hydraulic pressure required for extension, and there was insufficient time to utilize the alternate extension method. The resulting gear-up landing caused damage to the lower fuselage and punctured the aircraft's pressure vessel.
Findings
While the captain initially reported having approximately 1,000 pounds of fuel remaining—enough for 55 minutes of flight—investigations of cockpit voice and air traffic control recordings determined the right engine failed roughly 14 minutes after arrival, followed by the left engine approximately 20 minutes after arrival. The investigation concluded that the loss of engine power was caused by fuel exhaustion, as no mechanical malfunctions were identified. The aircraft was not carrying the fuel reserves required by federal regulations for instrument flight rules, which mandate enough fuel to reach the destination, fly to an alternate airport, and maintain cruise speed for an additional 45 minutes.