Primary finding
Probable cause
The inadvertent stall and spin. Factors were the power loss due to fuel starvation, the dark night, and his failure to use the boost pump for engine restart.
Investigator assessment
Analysis narrative
The private pilot had previously made only one night cross-country flight as the only rated pilot in the airplane. Another pilot who usually served as a crew member reported that during the cruise portion of the second leg of his cross country flight, the pilot would normally run the engines on the auxiliary tanks until they were empty and then switch to the main fuel tanks and air start the engines. This procedure requires that the fuel boost pumps be in the 'on' position. The fuel boost pumps were in the 'off' position at the accident site. The right main fuel tank had ruptured and only four gallons of fuel remained. Twenty seven gallons of fuel remained in the left main tank. Each of the auxiliary tanks contained less than one pint of fuel. Witnesses three miles from the accident site reported a dark night. Engine test runs were performed on both engines throughout all power ranges and there were no anomalies found that would have contributed to the accident. A review of the air traffic control data revealed that the pilot declared an emergency and reported the airplane out of control in a flat spin. The pilot did not refuel prior to departing on the second leg of his night cross country flight.
Source record
Factual narrative
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