The pilot was on final approach when the engine started to run out of fuel. She said her boss
had a similar problem on a previous flight, and had to correct for it by pitching the nose up and
down to force fuel into the fuel lines. The pilot recalled pitching the nose up and down but
nothing after that. A witness, who saw the airplane pitching up and down several times before
it impacted the ground, responded to the crash. He noted that the fuel selector was set to the
"both" position and no fuel was leaking from either fuel tank’s gas cap. When the
airplane was righted, the witness said he saw several gallons of fuel drain from the left tank but
not the right tank. When he visually checked the right fuel tank, it was empty. The left tank had
about 9 gallons (about 6.5 gallons usable) still in the tank. A postaccident examination of the
airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the airplane sustained
substantial damage to the firewall, forward engine mounts, right wing and vertical stabilizer
and rudder. About 6 gallons of fuel was drained from the left wing tank and the right tank was
empty. A review of the terrain where the airplane impacted the ground revealed the vegetation
around the left tank was discolored from fuel, but the area around the right tank was not. No
pre mishap mechanical discrepancies were noted with the engine or airplane that would have
precluded normal operation.
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