CLEVELAND, TX, USA
N601MF
PIPER PA-601B
AIRPLANE WAS ON A REGULAR NIGHT PART 135 FLIGHT AND WAS 17 MILES FROM DESTINATION WHEN ONE ENGINE STARTED TO SURGE AND LOST POWER. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND SAID HE WAS RUNNING OUT OF FUEL. ATC VECTORED AIRPLANE TO CLOSEST AIRPORT BUT AIRPORT DID NOT HAVE BEACON LIGHTED AND PILOT WAS LOW OVER AIRPORT BEFORE HE SAW IT. THEN THE OTHER ENGINE SURGED AND THE PILOT MADE A FORCED LANDING OFF THE AIRPORT IN HEAVY UNDERBRUSH AND ROUGH TERRAIN. INSPECTION REVEALED AIRPLANE HAD 23 GALLONS OF FUEL IN RIGHT WING, 3 GALLONS IN FUSELAGE TANK, AND ZERO FUEL IN LEFT TANK. PLT SAID AFTER THE ACC HE DECIDED NOT TO CROSS FEED BECAUSE HE THOUGHT THE FUSELAGE TANK HAD ENOUGH FUEL.
A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, DUE TO FUEL STARVATION BECAUSE THE PLT MISJUDGED HIS FUEL SUPPLY AND DISTRIBUTION OF FUEL PER TANKS, AND AS A RESULT MISMANAGED THE SUPPLY REMAINING.
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database
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