Accident Overview
A pilot was conducting a flight when the left engine began to run roughly during cruise and subsequently lost all power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He then feathered the propeller and diverted toward the nearest airport for landing.
Landing Gear Complications
Approaching the airport, the pilot extended the landing gear when the airplane was approximately one mile from the runway threshold. However, the pilot did not receive a gear down and locked indication. With engine-driven hydraulic pressure unavailable, emergency manual gear extension was required. The pilot reported that he did not have time to perform the manual gear extension and judged that a go-around was inadvisable.
Final Approach and Touchdown
The pilot opted to side-step and land on the snow-covered ground adjacent to the runway. Upon touchdown, the partially extended landing gear collapsed, causing the airplane to come to a stop nose down in the snow.
Engine Failure Cause
The loss of engine power was attributed to a failed valve in the number 3 cylinder.