Flight Details
The aircraft, registration N31135, was being ferried from Wichita, Kansas, to Japan with an en route stop in Oakland, California. It was equipped with cabin-mounted ferry tanks. The gross weight at the time of operation was approximately 1,000 pounds over the normal maximum gross weight.
Engine Failure Incident
According to the pilot, he switched from the aircraft's main fuel tanks to the ferry tank. About 20 minutes later, the right engine quit. The pilot described the engine failure as akin to 'selecting idle cutoff on the mixture lever.' At the time, the pilot was passing through 13,000 feet mean sea level (MSL) in a climb. He had not yet performed the engine-out procedures after switching fuel tanks. With unsuccessful results, the right engine 'suddenly continued to run again normally.' During the engine-out period, the pilot lost a few thousand feet of altitude. The pilot flew over two airports during the engine failure.
Accident and Post-Crash Examination
The aircraft crashed in Monarch Pass at an elevation of 11,300 feet. At the time of the crash, both engines were operating. The terrain elevation to the east of the accident site was half that of the pass. Post-crash examination did not reveal any malfunctions.