Accident Overview
A pilot conducting a cross-country flight experienced a loss of power to both engines due to fuel exhaustion, leading to a forced landing in a railroad yard. The airplane sustained substantial damage when the left wing struck a dirt mound and separated from the fuselage.
Flight Details
The pilot had planned a 726-statute-mile flight with an estimated duration of 3 hours and 46 minutes, including one stop to pick up cargo. The aircraft carried 182 gallons of fuel, providing an approximate endurance of 4 hours and 55 minutes based on a fuel burn rate of 40 gallons per hour.
Accident Sequence
The flight proceeded without incident to the first stop, where the airplane was not refueled before departure. As the flight approached the destination airport, the pilot became concerned because the main fuel tanks were depleting rapidly. He switched to the auxiliary tanks to extract any remaining fuel, then switched back to the main tanks. During the approach, the pilot informed the approach controller that he had lost power to the right engine, followed shortly by a loss of power to the left engine. The pilot executed a forced landing to a railroad yard. After touchdown, the left wing struck a four-foot-high dirt mound and separated from the main fuselage. The airplane came to rest upright on a railroad track.
Probable Cause
The National Transportation Safety Board determined the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's inaccurate in-flight planning and fuel consumption calculations, and his improper decision not to land and refuel.