FTW96LA304

In preparation for the cross-country flight, the pilot visually checked the fuel tanks for the specified quantity and found they were fueled evenly to the specified level. The right gauge showed lower than the left. During cruise flight at 11,000 feet msl, with about 30 min remaining to destination, the right tank fuel gauge was indicating less than 1/4 full and the left tank fuel gauge was indicating slightly less than 1/2 full. The left engine then quit and the pilot requested vectors to the nearest airport, which was about 4 miles distance. (The single engine service ceiling of the aircraft for the operating conditions present was 5,500 feet msl. The terrain elevation was 6,874 feet and the density altitude was 8,100 feet.) During descent for landing, the pilot thought the left engine might run so he restarted it and it ran until shut down via the mixture after landing. The pilot spotted what he thought was the airport, and during approach discovered it was a residential street. Because he had unexplainable power problems, he continued the approach and landed. During landing roll, the left wing collided with a mail box post. Examination revealed that the fuel lines were crossed. No maintenance entry was found to determine when this maintenance error occurred, and examination of like aircraft provided no duplication of fuel line routing. With the fuel feed line plumbing routed in the manner it was found, had the pilot selected cross feed it is possible that both engines would have lost power.

On July 14, 1996, at 1835 mountain daylight time, a Beech 76, N6708A, made an emergency landing on a road approximately 5 miles west of Falcon, Colorado, following a loss of power to the left engine. The commercial pilot and his two passengers were not injured and the aircraft sustained substantial damage. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was on file for this business flight conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight departed Kansas City, Missouri, (MKC) at 1604 central daylight time.

According to the aircraft manual, the single engine service ceiling for the operating conditions present was 5,500 feet pressure altitude on a standard day. The terrain elevation was 6,874 feet above mean sea level (msl) and the density altitude at the time was 8,100 feet.

According to the pilot, he had 80 gallons of fuel on board which equated to four hours endurance. The fuel gauges indicated slightly different with the right gauge lower than the left when each tank contained 40 gallons. He said he visually checked the tanks to be filled to the 40 gallon mark.

His flight planning indicated a flight time of 3 hours and 8 minutes en route. He said that when he was airborne a little less than 3 hours the right tank fuel gauge was reading "less than one quarter" and his left fuel tank gauge "a little less than one half." At this time he was in the vicinity of Limon, Colorado, which in that aircraft is about 30 minutes flying time.

The pilot's statement provided information that after passing Limon he was cleared from his cruising altitude of 8,000 feet msl (above mean sea level) to 11,000 feet msl. He said he requested direct Colorado Springs. Shortly thereafter, he said the left engine "coughed" and quit. The pilot said he feathered the engine, declared an emergency, and was cleared to proceed direct to an airport about four miles ahead. (Meadow Lake - 00V)

During descent for landing at Meadow Lake Airport, the pilot said he thought the left engine might run so he unfeathered it. The left engine started and continued to run until it was shut down via the mixture following landing.

During approach for landing, the pilot said he discovered that he was making an approach to a street in a residential area. Because he thought the engines were unreliable, and because there was no traffic on the street, he said he elected to continue and land on the street. During landing roll, the left wing collided with a mail box post.

The street which the pilot misidentified as the runway is the same as the runway heading and the airport he thought he was approaching is surrounded by a housing area.

An examination of the aircraft by an FAA inspector provided information that the right fuel tank was empty, the left contained 12 gallons, and there was no discernible damage to the left engine. An unsuccessful attempt was made to start the left engine. Further examination provided evidence that the fuel lines were crossed by the cross feeds so that the left engine was being fed from the right tank and the right engine from the left tank. When this was corrected, the left engine started and ran smoothly. According to available information, given the way in which the fuel system plumbing was routed, if the pilot had attempted to cross feed fuel after he started having problems with the left engine, he could have lost power to both engines.

An examination of the aircraft maintenance records provided no information as to when the fuel lines were crossed or how long they may have been routed in that manner. In addition, several other Beech 76 aircraft were examined. None of the aircraft examined had the fuel feed lines crossed.