On July 16, 2023, during a parachuting flight for the seventh day, a pilot reported that the left engine fuel low pressure warning light illuminated shortly after takeoff. Activation of the auxiliary pump failed to rectify the problem, resulting in the engine stopping. Following a subsequent shutdown drill, the pilot elected to shut down the right engine and land in a paddock. Landing gear extension commenced during impact, leading to a groundloop. The aircraft experienced a significant fuel drain, with only 19.5 lbs (11 litres) of fuel remaining in the left tank and 231 lbs (130 litres) in the right. The pilot and operator considered the regulations regarding fuel reserve requirements did not apply to parachuting operations, resulting in a substantially reduced fuel reserve. The inspection revealed a defective fuel quantity indication system, specifically the left outer fuel quantity sender unit, which displayed an empty reading on the left inboard gauge when both inboard and outboard tanks were empty. The pilot was unaware of the significance of this fuel gauge indication anomaly. The aircraft’s fuel pumps were serviceable, and both engines were capable of operating throughout their design power range. The wind conditions were south-easterly at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots, with an into-wind takeoff over rising terrain, resulting in insufficient fuel reserves to cover the left fuel pumps and outlet ports, effectively starving the left engine of fuel. The pilot’s initial climb phase was insufficient to compensate for this fuel depletion, leading to a failure to outclimb the terrain. The performance tests demonstrated that the aircraft would have been capable of maintaining level flight following the left engine failure. The pilot’s assumption of a descent induced the abandonment of the takeoff.On July 16, 2023, during a parachuting flight for the seventh day, a pilot reported that the left engine fuel low pressure warning light illuminated shortly after takeoff. Activation of the auxiliary pump failed to rectify the problem, resulting in the engine stopping. Following a subsequent shutdown drill, the pilot elected to shut down the right engine and land in a paddock. Landing gear extension commenced during impact, leading to a groundloop. The aircraft experienced a significant fuel drain, with only 19.5 lbs (11 litres) of fuel remaining in the left tank and 231 lbs (130 litres) in the right. The pilot and operator considered the regulations regarding fuel reserve requirements did not apply to parachuting operations, resulting in a substantially reduced fuel reserve. The inspection revealed a defective fuel quantity indication system, specifically the left outer fuel quantity sender unit, which displayed an empty reading on the left inboard gauge when both inboard and outboard tanks were empty. The pilot was unaware of the significance of this fuel gauge indication anomaly. The aircraft’s fuel pumps were serviceable, and both engines were capable of operating throughout their design power range. The wind conditions were south-easterly at 10 knots gusting to 15 knots, with an into-wind takeoff over rising terrain, resulting in insufficient fuel reserves to cover the left fuel pumps and outlet ports, effectively starving the left engine of fuel. The pilot’s initial climb phase was insufficient to compensate for this fuel depletion, leading to a failure to outclimb the terrain. The performance tests demonstrated that the aircraft would have been capable of maintaining level flight following the left engine failure. The pilot’s assumption of a descent induced the abandonment of the takeoff.