Accident Overview
A certificated private pilot and a passenger departed in a twin-engine airplane for a local flight. The aircraft was reported overdue, and witnesses observed that the left engine was not producing full power. The airplane was located the following day approximately 22 miles from the departure airport. Both occupants sustained fatal injuries.
Investigation Findings
The investigation determined that the airplane was unairworthy. The left engine primer was not locked, and automotive gasoline had been used in the aircraft. The pilot intentionally secured the engines and feathered the propellers. The airplane struck the ground with little forward speed, at a high vertical descent rate, in a nose-down and near wings-level attitude.
The pilot did not possess a current medical certificate or a multiengine rating. The pilot's recency of experience could not be determined. Toxicological testing revealed that alcohol was present in the blood of both the pilot and passenger.