Cessna 340 N5757C accident near Muskogee, Oklahoma

Probable cause

The pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a total loss of power to both engines.

NTSB analysis

The pilot reported that the airplane was “topped off” with fuel before departing on the night cross-country flight. The pilot performed a preflight inspection, but he did not have his headlamp with him, only his cellular phone. The pilot reported that he typically verified fuel levels at night by feeling inside the fuel tank with his finger, but recalled not verifying the fuel level in the right main fuel tank before departing on the night of the accident flight.

The pilot reported that the fuel consumption rate during the first half of the flight was higher than normal due to his operation of the engines slightly rich and his use of the airplane’s heater. While enroute, the pilot transferred fuel from the auxiliary fuel tanks and the left side locker fuel tank to the main fuel tanks. After the “final transfer” was completed, the pilot calculated that there was adequate fuel remaining, including the required reserve fuel, to reach the destination airport; however, he noticed that the indicated fuel remaining levels were less than he expected.

Shortly after the pilot was cleared for a visual approach at the destination, the right engine lost total power, followed by the left engine. The pilot reported that, at the time of the initial power loss, gauges indicated that the left side of the airplane had about 30 pounds (about 4.84 gallons) of fuel remaining and the right side had about 30 to 35 pounds (about 4.84 to 5.65 gallons) of fuel remaining.

During the subsequent forced landing, the right wing impacted a permanent elevated static display and the airplane came to rest upright on airport property. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and the right wing.

Examination of the airplane revealed no evidence of fuel at the accident site. The right main fuel tank and the right auxiliary fuel tank were separated from the right wing during the impact sequence and sustained damage. All other fuel tanks were found intact. All the fuel tank caps were found installed on their respective fuel tank. Fuel was not observed in any of the fuel tanks. All the fuel tank bladders were found intact, and they were not collapsed. The left side fuel selector was found on the left main fuel tank. The right side fuel selector was found on the right auxiliary fuel tank. No signs of fuel leakage were observed on the airframe or on the two engines. During the recovery operation, no usable fuel was recovered from the airplane.

It is possible that the pilot departed on the accident flight with less fuel than he calculated, given that he did not verify the level of fuel in the right main tank. Additionally, he reported higher than normal fuel consumption during the accident flight, and as he neared the destination, he observed that the indicated fuel remaining was less than expected.

The absence of fuel at the accident site and onboard the airplane during postaccident examination is consistent with the pilot’s improper fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion, a total loss of power to both engines, a subsequent forced landing, and collision with an obstacle and terrain.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for CEN25LA051 for the full record.