20010924027089A

(-23) The aircraft interior had been removed for refurbishment while the aircraft was being painted. Part of the interior pieces removed were the fuel selector control handles and the associated position indication placarded panel. Prior to the aircraft leaving mesquite for st. George, a preflight was made by the pilot, inbd fuel sumps drained (no fuel from right inbd sump), and 15 gallons of fuel added to each inbd tank. The same sumps were drained again. The pilot then, having completed the preflight, started the engines and taxied for take-off. A witness stated that the landing gear remained down until the aircraft went out of sight. At some point in the flight, evidence indicates the an engine ran out of gas, but was not feathered. The aircraft continued, gear down, no engine feathered, toward sgu. Upon arrival, witnesses saw the aircraft in a left turn, climb then stall, climb and stall again (porpoising). The aircraft was below the airport elevation and, it is believed, was trying to step climb. No radios onbd, an approach was made to rwy 34, missed due to conflicting traffic. A 2nd left 360 degree turn was made to a down wind for rwy 16. After turning left base for rwy 16 (below airport elevation), attempting to climb, the aircraft apparently stalled, fell through powerlines, severed two, and crashed on bluff st., killing the pilot. The second engine may have failed, due to fuel exhaustion, after turning base for 16. During the post accident investigation 15 gallons of fuel were drained from the right inbd tank and approx. 14 gallons from the left inbd tank (approximately 1 gallon of fuel was lost from the left inbd tank during aircraft retrieval). Less than 1 cup of fuel was drained from each main tank sump. Fuel selector position could not be proven due to impacted damage. However, the fuel selector position favored a main tank position selection. The fwd engine fuel manifold valve was completely void of fuel. The rear engine fuel manifold valve contained a few drops of fuel.