NTSB Factual Report

On July 26, 2018, about 1755 eastern daylight time, a Beech C90, N717X, was substantially damaged during a forced landing to a field, following a total loss of power on both engines near Lecanto, Florida. The commercial pilot was not injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by LILSA KA LLC as a personal flight conducted under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan was filed for the planned flight to Williston Municipal Airport (X60), Williston, Florida. The flight departed Brooksville-Tampa Bay Regional Airport (BKV), Brooksville, Florida, about 1740.

The pilot reported that earlier during the day of the accident, he flew uneventfully from X60 to BKV to have some maintenance work performed on the brakes. While at BKV, he purchased 40 gallons of fuel, 20 gallons were added to each wing. The pilot estimated that at the time of departure, the airplane had a total fuel load of 870 lbs. (about 130 gallons total, 65 gallons per side). The pilot then waited for some convective weather to subside and departed on a return flight to X60. Due to some scattered thunderstorms remaining in the area, the pilot flew west and then followed the coast north. While flying over Crystal River Airport (CGC), Crystal River, Florida, the engine power surged on the left engine. The pilot diverted toward CGC and was flying a wide right downwind traffic pattern for runway 27 while trying to troubleshoot the engine anomaly. As he turned the airplane onto the right base leg of the traffic pattern, the left engine lost all power; then when he subsequently turned onto the final approach leg of the traffic pattern, the right engine lost all power. The pilot was not sure if the airplane would glide to the runway and elected to perform a forced landing to a field. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a tree.

Review of an airplane flight manual revealed that the airplane was equipped with six fuel tanks; two interconnected tanks in each wing and one tank in each engine nacelle. Fuel flowed from the respective wing tanks, to the nacelle tank, to the engine. Fuel would gravity feed from the wing tanks to nacelle tank; however, the gravity feed does not work once the wing tanks are depleted to about 28 gallons (total per each wing) or below. At that point, the fuel transfer pumps (one for each wing/nacelle) must be on to keep fuel moving to the nacelle tanks and ultimately the engines. Review of the after starting and taxi checklist revealed instructions to turn the fuel transfer pumps on.

Examination of the wreckage by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed that the airplane came to rest upright in a field about 4 miles east of CGC. The right wing sustained substantial damage and the rest of the airplane remained undamaged. A local mechanic inspected the wreckage at the scene for the purposes of providing a repair estimate. During the inspection, the mechanic noted that the fuel transfer pumps were in the off position. He also observed no fuel in the nacelle tanks and about 30 gallons of fuel in each wing. The mechanic then turned on the battery and fuel transfer pumps. At that point, fuel began to flow from each wing tank to the respective nacelle tank.