Scottsdale

The two commercial rated pilots were returning from a part 135 flight at night. The fuel tanks were inadvertently not switched from mains to auxiliary. Fuel starvation occurred when aircraft was at low altitude. Insufficient altitude remained to restart the engines. Aircraft impacted ground. A post accident fire erupted destroying the aircraft. Both pilots were seriously injured.

Pilot took off from Scottsdale at 1934 mst for a 13 nm flight to reposition the aircraft to home base. Within minutes the pilot advised ATC that he was 6 miles out with minimum fuel and requested no delay. He then asked for clearance to runway 22R and was cleared to land on runway 22R, at 1943 mst the pilot advised the tower that he was not going to make the runway. Both engines had stopped due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot made a forced landing 1/4 mile from the approach end of runway 22R in a level dirt area. The pilot reported the aircraft contained 120 lbs of fuel upon departure from Scottsdale and no low fuel warning was received. The pilot's operating handbook states the low fuel warning light should illuminate when there is less than 60 gallons of fuel in either tank or when there is less than 120 gallons total fuel on board. The manual also stated the aircraft burns 170 gph at 70 percent power. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

For undetermined reasons the pilot experienced a power loss on both left engines while turning from left base to final for landing. The pilot was unable to maintain directional control and elected to reduce power on the right engines. During the forced landing roll the aircraft collided with three ditches as well as small trees. As the aircraft touched down both left engines resumed full power. The pilot, sole on board, was uninjured.

The aircraft diverted from Scottsdale to a flight course to Sedona because of thunderstorms and high winds at Scottsdale, but after a radio conversation with Scottsdale tower, the pilot decided to reroute to land at Scottsdale. The pilot did not read back the weather correctly to Scottsdale tower. After descending in rain and turbulence, the pilot reported to Scottsdale at 1857 that 'we think we have the arpt at nine o'clock.' the plt was cleared to make a visual approach to rwy 21. The twr never established visual contact with the acft & was unable to make further radio contact the last recorded radar contact showed the acft at 2200 ft descending, 2 miles from scottsdale on a bearing of 075 degrees. The acft contacted the ground left wing & nose low in a landing configuration on a heading of about 300 degrees. The acft slid about 770 ft, losing the engines, wings & landing gear before stopping. A post accident examination of the wreckage showed no signs of pre-impact conditions that would have affected normal operations.