It is my understanding that the PA31P has main tanks only (no Aux's).
Also, the decision re: BK or RIC has been debated to death. What I think really put him up against it was the decision to throw away invaluable altitude. Some here have postulated that he may have been forced to descend by as yet unknown factors. I'm sorry, but the radar data (G/S-ROD) does not support either an Emergency descent nor a Driftdown.
I was chatting to an old collegue of mine the other day, an ex G/A and airline training Captain, now retired after 30 + years. "Crikey Krusty, if it was me at 7000' over RIC, and I made the decision to go to BK, I would have still been at 7000' over the top of BK! Why do you suppose he didn't do that?"
I could only shrug my shoulders.
