What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(.4)The pilot stated that he was at 12,500 feet, preparing for a four-mile parachute jump run, when he had initial indications of a power/fuel problem. He said he told the skydivers to exit, then initiated a descending spiral to land, during which time the fuel flow became erratic. He said both engines ceased operating at 3,000 feet, and he did not account for the northwest wind, and crashed short of the runway. The FAA inspector who conducted a postcrash examination of the accident airplane said that he found no usable fuel in the tanks, and there were no other indications of the presence of fuel at the accident site. Detailed examinations of the fuel systems and both engines showed that residual fuel remained, and revealed no indications of pre-accident malfunction or mechanical failure. (-23) during a parachute jump run at 13,000 feet to st. George (6J2), SC, the left engine lost power, and shortly thereafter, the right engine lost power. The nine parachute jumpers departed the aircraft at the direction of the pilot approximately one mile short of the drop zone. The aircraft impacted several small pine trees and came to rest approximately 500 yards from the end of runway 05 at the st. George airport, SC. The investigation revealed that only unusable fuel was in the fuel tanks. The right engine fuel line to the fuel control only had a few drops of fuel in the line. The left engine had slightly more fuel. The fuel line from the left nacelle to the engine was severed. When the aircraft was hoisted up, approximately one gallon fuel drained out of the tank.
As the FAA filed it
(.4)THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS AT 12,500 FEET, PREPARING FOR A FOUR-MILE PARACHUTE JUMP RUN, WHEN HE HAD INITIAL INDICATIONS OF A POWER/FUEL PROBLEM. HE SAID HE TOLD THE SKYDIVERS TO EXIT, THEN INITIATED A DESCENDING SPIRAL TO LAND, DURING WHICH TIME THE FUEL FLOW BECAME ERRATIC. HE SAID BOTH ENGINES CEASED OPERATING AT 3,000 FEET, AND HE DID NOT ACCOUNT FOR THE NORTHWEST WIND, AND CRASHED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE FAA INSPECTOR WHO CONDUCTED A POSTCRASH EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT AIRPLANE SAID THAT HE FOUND NO USABLE FUEL IN THE TANKS, AND THERE WERE NO OTHER INDICATIONS OF THE PRESENCE OF FUEL AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. DETAILED EXAMINATIONS OF THE FUEL SYSTEMS AND BOTH ENGINES SHOWED THAT RESIDUAL FUEL REMAINED, AND REVEALED NO INDICATIONS OF PRE-ACCIDENT MALFUNCTION OR MECHANICAL FAILURE. (-23) DURING A PARACHUTE JUMP RUN AT 13,000 FEET TO ST. GEORGE (6J2), SC, THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. THE NINE PARACHUTE JUMPERS DEPARTED THE AIRCRAFT AT THE DIRECTION OF THE PILOT APPROXIMATELY ONE MILE SHORT OF THE DROP ZONE. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SEVERAL SMALL PINE TREES AND CAME TO REST APPROXIMATELY 500 YARDS FROM THE END OF RUNWAY 05 AT THE ST. GEORGE AIRPORT, SC. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT ONLY UNUSABLE FUEL WAS IN THE FUEL TANKS. THE RIGHT ENGINE FUEL LINE TO THE FUEL CONTROL ONLY HAD A FEW DROPS OF FUEL IN THE LINE. THE LEFT ENGINE HAD SLIGHTLY MORE FUEL. THE FUEL LINE FROM THE LEFT NACELLE TO THE ENGINE WAS SEVERED. WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS HOISTED UP, APPROXIMATELY ONE GALLON FUEL DRAINED OUT OF THE TANK.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.