Narrative:

I requested 25 gallons per side from ground service. I descended to the initial altitude for the approach which is 2700 ft. I believed I was then cleared for the visual approach. I slowed the aircraft to approach speed, lowered the flaps, and performed my approach checklist. After crossing wakel intersection (IAF) the fuel xfeed light came on. I suspected a boost pump failure. I cycled the right boost pump switch, reset and armed the automatic xfeed switch. The xfeed light stayed off for long enough for me to inspect my fuel panel. All switches were up and on, fuel quantity indicated 200 pounds per side. I checked automatic ignition and all other appropriate switches on. At that time the xfeed light came on again followed by the right fuel pressure light. The right engine then lost power. I verified and feathered the right engine. As I did so, the fuel pressure warning light for the left side came on followed by a power loss on the left side. I verified and feathered the left side, raised the gear and flaps while contacting tower to declare an emergency. A few seconds later it became clear that I would not make the field. I advised the tower of that. Because of my altitude, I had no time to analyze anything further, but prepared for a ditching in pontiac lake which was straight ahead. After landing, I shut off the battery and generators and exited the aircraft. After it was all over, I checked my fuel receipts and verified with the fueling facilities that the requested fuel load was put on the plane. My gauges had indicated correctly, the quantities. Recalculation of fuel burn verified 50 min of fuel reserve. At this time, I don't know what was found in regards to the plane but it is clear that the engines were not receiving fuel. It is my understanding that the possibility of a duplicate mechanical malfunction on both sides are slim indeed. Which brings us to fuel management. The only scenario that I can come up with after the fact is that I failed to turn on my transfer pumps and deliver the 25 gallons a side, to the nacelle tanks. But when I had looked at the fuel control panel following the xfeed light, I believe I saw them on. This accident could have been avoided with greater care to the checklist. If I had requested the fuel be put in the nacelle tanks in the first place, then no requirement for the transfer pumps would have existed. Last of all is my belief that a 2 pilot operation utilizing the command and response method would probably have idented any failure to activate the transfer pumps.

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: AN SMT PLT RAN OUT OF AVAILABLE FUEL AND HAD TO DITCH IN A LAKE.

Narrative: I REQUESTED 25 GALLONS PER SIDE FROM GND SVC. I DSNDED TO THE INITIAL ALT FOR THE APCH WHICH IS 2700 FT. I BELIEVED I WAS THEN CLRED FOR THE VISUAL APCH. I SLOWED THE ACFT TO APCH SPEED, LOWERED THE FLAPS, AND PERFORMED MY APCH CHKLIST. AFTER XING WAKEL INTXN (IAF) THE FUEL XFEED LIGHT CAME ON. I SUSPECTED A BOOST PUMP FAILURE. I CYCLED THE R BOOST PUMP SWITCH, RESET AND ARMED THE AUTO XFEED SWITCH. THE XFEED LIGHT STAYED OFF FOR LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO INSPECT MY FUEL PANEL. ALL SWITCHES WERE UP AND ON, FUEL QUANTITY INDICATED 200 POUNDS PER SIDE. I CHECKED AUTO IGNITION AND ALL OTHER APPROPRIATE SWITCHES ON. AT THAT TIME THE XFEED LIGHT CAME ON AGAIN FOLLOWED BY THE R FUEL PRESSURE LIGHT. THE R ENG THEN LOST PWR. I VERIFIED AND FEATHERED THE R ENG. AS I DID SO, THE FUEL PRESSURE WARNING LIGHT FOR THE L SIDE CAME ON FOLLOWED BY A PWR LOSS ON THE L SIDE. I VERIFIED AND FEATHERED THE L SIDE, RAISED THE GEAR AND FLAPS WHILE CONTACTING TWR TO DECLARE AN EMER. A FEW SECONDS LATER IT BECAME CLR THAT I WOULD NOT MAKE THE FIELD. I ADVISED THE TWR OF THAT. BECAUSE OF MY ALT, I HAD NO TIME TO ANALYZE ANYTHING FURTHER, BUT PREPARED FOR A DITCHING IN PONTIAC LAKE WHICH WAS STRAIGHT AHEAD. AFTER LNDG, I SHUT OFF THE BATTERY AND GENERATORS AND EXITED THE ACFT. AFTER IT WAS ALL OVER, I CHKED MY FUEL RECEIPTS AND VERIFIED WITH THE FUELING FACILITIES THAT THE REQUESTED FUEL LOAD WAS PUT ON THE PLANE. MY GAUGES HAD INDICATED CORRECTLY, THE QUANTITIES. RECALCULATION OF FUEL BURN VERIFIED 50 MIN OF FUEL RESERVE. AT THIS TIME, I DON'T KNOW WHAT WAS FOUND IN REGARDS TO THE PLANE BUT IT IS CLR THAT THE ENGS WERE NOT RECEIVING FUEL. IT IS MY UNDERSTANDING THAT THE POSSIBILITY OF A DUPLICATE MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION ON BOTH SIDES ARE SLIM INDEED. WHICH BRINGS US TO FUEL MGMNT. THE ONLY SCENARIO THAT I CAN COME UP WITH AFTER THE FACT IS THAT I FAILED TO TURN ON MY TRANSFER PUMPS AND DELIVER THE 25 GALLONS A SIDE, TO THE NACELLE TANKS. BUT WHEN I HAD LOOKED AT THE FUEL CONTROL PANEL FOLLOWING THE XFEED LIGHT, I BELIEVE I SAW THEM ON. THIS ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN AVOIDED WITH GREATER CARE TO THE CHKLIST. IF I HAD REQUESTED THE FUEL BE PUT IN THE NACELLE TANKS IN THE FIRST PLACE, THEN NO REQUIREMENT FOR THE TRANSFER PUMPS WOULD HAVE EXISTED. LAST OF ALL IS MY BELIEF THAT A 2 PLT OP UTILIZING THE COMMAND AND RESPONSE METHOD WOULD PROBABLY HAVE IDENTED ANY FAILURE TO ACTIVATE THE TRANSFER PUMPS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.