What happened
During a night approach under visual meteorological conditions, the aircraft experienced a loss of power in the left engine. This loss of power was caused by fuel starvation. Following the engine failure, the propeller was not feathered, and the landing gear remained in the extended position. The aircraft drifted left of its intended course, eventually striking trees before impacting the ground.
Investigation into the fuel system revealed significant discrepancies. While one gallon of fuel was recovered from the right wing, engine, and fuel line, no fuel was found in the left wing, engine, or fuel line. The co-pilot had previously noted that the fuel quantity system was behaving erratically, specifically noting that the right side appeared to show approximately 10 gallons more than the left side. Subsequent testing determined that the right side was actually indicating roughly 45 gallons more than the actual amount present, while the left side system was completely inoperative.
Findings
Technical analysis confirmed that the primary cause of the engine failure was fuel starvation. The aircraft's fuel quantity system was found to be highly inaccurate, providing false readings that masked the true state of the fuel levels. There was no regulatory requirement for the periodic recalibration of this specific fuel quantity system.
Regarding the pilot's history, the owner/pilot had completed 32 flights totaling over 23 hours, frequently utilizing partial refueling since the tanks were already full. While the pilot had passed an FAA checkride 19 months before the accident, a flight instructor had previously recommended recurrent training 17 months prior, though no records indicated this training was completed.