What happened
During the initial climb phase of flight, the crew reported a sudden power surge approximately 400 to 500 feet above the departure airport. The first officer observed what he later described as fluctuating fuel flow on the right side and alerted the pilot in command that the right engine was losing power. Following these indications, the pilot instructed the first officer to secure the affected engine.
The pilot initially anticipated no serious complications and intended to remain in the traffic pattern to execute a single-engine landing. However, the aircraft lacked sufficient thrust to maintain airspeed at altitude without descending. Forced to lose height to sustain flight, the pilot landed the aircraft on a nearby road. Upon touchdown, the aircraft penetrated a fence, crossed over a railroad track, and finally came to a stop.
The investigation
Following the incident, an operational check of the engines was conducted. The right engine started and ran normally during this inspection. In contrast, the left engine proved difficult to start and would not exceed 1000 RPM until a replacement fuel metering valve was installed.
A teardown of the original faulty metering valve revealed the presence of contamination from an unknown source. Additionally, maintenance personnel found that the left fuel pump discharge pressure was reading 62 PSI. Adjusting the altitude aneroid control returned the pump discharge pressure to within the maximum limit of 32.5 PSI.
Findings
The incident was caused by a malfunction in the right engine's fuel system, specifically contamination within the fuel metering valve. Contributing factors included an over-pressurized left fuel pump due to incorrect altitude aneroid control settings.