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Maybe I'm missing something here. These two guys weren't practicing single engine work - they had zero engines. I'm assuming it's fuel related since the front quit 5 minutes (10 miles out) before the rear which quit at 500 feet. My guess is the front engine was feathered and when the rear quit, the pilot made an instant decision to pick a good landing spot feeling that he could not make the runway whether or not he feathered the rear. Ernie, the aircraft was still flying.
I have been there, done that about 8 years ago. Had front engine quit 10 miles out (out of fuel) and I feathered it and flew about 10 miles to the closest airport praying the rear would keep going and it did. I'll never know how low the fuel was as I didn't fill the tanks completely. I've always wondered. Could've ended up like these boys at 500 feet and think I wouldn't be able to make the runway and take the dirt instead.
The above story was in a 337G but I did the same thing in a Twin Comanche 35 years ago and made the closest field. I think I've finally learned by now - won't do that again but there are a lot of other stupid things to do besides running out of fuel
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