What happened
During a preflight inspection, the pilot noted that the fuel gauge indicated 65 gallons of fuel remaining. Because the specific design of the aircraft's fuel system prevents a visual verification of the fuel level, the pilot relied on this gauge reading. During the takeoff roll and subsequent climb, the left engine began to surge and lose power. In response, the pilot initiated a left turn to return to the airport and notified the control tower of an intention to perform a single-engine, straight-in approach.
As the landing gear was extended, the right engine also began to surge and lose power. Facing a loss of power across both engines and insufficient altitude to reach the runway, the pilot declared an emergency. To maintain as much energy as possible, the pilot retracted the landing gear and performed a no-flap, gear-up landing on a nearby golf course.
Findings
Post-accident investigations revealed that while the battery-powered fuel gauge still indicated 65 gallons, the actual amount of fuel recovered from the system was only approximately 0.5 gallons. The investigation concluded that the primary cause of the dual engine failure was fuel exhaustion.