BEECH E-55 — Broken Bow, NE

What happened

The pilot said that he noted an imbalance between the left and right main fuel tanks during cruise flight. He attempted to correct the imbalance by placing the left fuel selector in the crossfeed position so that both engines would receive fuel from the right main fuel tank. About 15 minutes after the pilot selected the crossfeed position, both engines lost power. When the pilot reset the left and right fuel selectors to the left main and the right auxiliary fuel tanks, respectively, the left engine regained power and the right engine began "surging." The pilot decided not to shut down the right engine and diverted to the nearest suitable airport. During final approach, the right engine lost power completely, and the airspeed decayed until it approached the airplane’s minimum control airspeed. When the airplane drifted right of the runway centerline, the pilot reduced power on the left engine in an attempt to maintain control. The airplane impacted an open field near the runway and a postimpact fire ensued.

Postaccident examination revealed no airframe or engine anomalies consistent with a preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Both fuel selectors were positioned to their respective main fuel tanks. The pilot stated that the airplane was fully fueled before departure. The airplane fuel system was composed of two 37-gallon main fuel tanks and two 31-gallon auxiliary fuel tanks. The pilot stated that he had not used any of the fuel in the auxiliary tanks before the loss of engine power. The pilot's operating handbook noted that the crossfeed system was not to be used to transfer fuel from one tank to another or to balance fuel during flight. The simultaneous loss of engine power while both engines were receiving fuel from one fuel tank, the restoration of power on the left engine after switching fuel tanks, operation at or near the fuel endurance limit for the right main fuel tank, and the lack of anomalies identified during the engine exams are consistent with exhaustion of fuel in the right main tank.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.