Introduction
An accident occurred involving a twin-engine aircraft during an attempted flight. The sequence of events began shortly after lift-off and ended with the aircraft coming to rest inverted after striking several obstacles.
Sequence of Events
According to the report, immediately after lift-off, the aircraft began its initial climb. It then entered a slow descent, but the flight was continued. During this descent, the aircraft collided with a television cable that was suspended below telephone cables on the same poles. Following the cable strike, the aircraft contacted the ground, bounced, and became airborne twice before continuing along the ground. It then crossed a road, struck a road sign, ran through a fence, hit a detached garage, flipped inverted, and stopped.
Mechanical Findings
The pilot stated that the rear engine lost either partial or all power. A mechanic reported observing the aircraft taxiing with the aft engine not operating. According to the mechanic, he was unable to stop the pilot to inform him of the issue. No rotational damage was noted on the aft propeller. During an operational examination of the power plants, the aft engine checked normal. However, the front engine would develop only approximately 200 horsepower instead of the rated takeoff power of 225 horsepower. This was attributed to a faulty engine turbo controller.
Pilot Incident
The pilot later told a police officer that he had a couple of drinks. He was arrested for intoxication when he refused to take a breathalyzer test.