What happened
During a flight returning to the home base after completing a cargo delivery, the pilot encountered a complete loss of power in both engines. This failure was caused by fuel exhaustion. In response to the emergency, the pilot initiated procedures for an unplanned landing, targeting a grassy area situated near the edge of a lake.
As the aircraft descended, it struck a tree and hit a rocky berm along the shoreline. The impact with the terrain caused the landing gear to collapse. Following this initial contact, the aircraft swerved and slid backward across the ground, eventually coming to a stop approximately 150 feet away from the lake's edge.
Findings
An investigation into the incident determined that there was less than two gallons of fuel remaining in each wing tank at the time of the accident. Several contributing factors were identified regarding the loss of engine power and the subsequent emergency descent:
- The primary cause of the engine failure was the exhaustion of fuel.
- The pilot's fuel quantity gauges provided inaccurate information.
- Errors in flight planning and decision-making by the pilot in command contributed to the situation.
- Inattention from the pilot in command was also noted as a factor.
The physical damage to the aircraft was further exacerbated by the uneven terrain and the collision with trees during the forced landing sequence.