Incident Overview
A cross-country positioning flight departed with the captain/operator, a first officer, and one passenger aboard. The airplane carried approximately 300 gallons of fuel at departure. After 3.9 hours en route, the flight received clearance for a visual approach to the destination airport.
Loss of Engine Power
During the approach, while at an altitude of about 2,000 feet mean sea level, both engines lost power. The pilot reported that the right fuel tank was empty and estimated that 50 to 60 gallons of fuel remained in the left fuel tank. As the airplane descended toward an area of open water, the pilot attempted to restart the engines but was unsuccessful.
Forced Landing
The pilot then lowered the landing gear and executed a right turn toward a small airstrip located approximately 5 miles northwest of the destination airport. The airplane touched down in an area of soft, marsh-covered terrain. During the landing roll, the airplane nosed down, causing damage to the forward, lower portion of the fuselage.
Post-Incident Inspection
An inspection conducted by an FAA inspector revealed that the left fuel tank contained about 1 inch of fuel. The right fuel selector was positioned on the right auxiliary fuel tank, and the left fuel selector was positioned between the left main and left auxiliary fuel tanks.
Probable Cause
The official probable cause was determined to be the pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. A related factor was the soft, marshy terrain at the forced landing area.