What happened
A flight originally planned to cover 726 statute miles with a single cargo stop ended in an emergency landing. The pilot had estimated a flight duration of roughly 3 hours and 46 minutes, with an initial fuel load of 182 gallons providing an endurance of approximately 4 hours and 55 minutes based on a 40 gallon per hour burn rate. After completing the first leg of the journey without refueling, the aircraft continued toward its destination.
As the aircraft approached the destination airport, the pilot noted a rapid decrease in fuel levels in the main tanks. In an attempt to utilize remaining reserves, the pilot transitioned to the auxiliary fuel tanks before returning to the main tanks. During the approach phase, the pilot notified air traffic control that the right engine had lost power, followed shortly by the loss of power to the left engine.
To avoid a more critical situation, the pilot performed a forced landing into a railroad yard. During the touchdown, the left wing collided with a four-foot-high dirt mound, causing the wing to separate from the fuselage. The aircraft ultimately came to a stop in an upright position on a railroad track. No fatalities or injuries were reported in the incident.
Findings
According to statements provided by the pilot, the dual engine failure was a direct result of fuel exhaustion and inadequate fuel planning for the mission.