Incident Summary
A commercial pilot was ferrying a light twin-engine airplane with the landing gear extended. During the descent to land, the number six connecting rod on the right engine failed. The pilot was unable to feather the propeller on the right engine. With a windmilling propeller and the landing gear extended, altitude could not be maintained.
Engine Failure and Forced Landing
Due to the loss of thrust and inability to maintain altitude, the pilot executed a forced landing onto a heavily travelled highway. To avoid colliding with vehicular traffic, the pilot elected to veer the airplane off the highway, resulting in damage to the aircraft.
Propeller Feathering Issue
The propeller's failure to feather was caused by the propeller governor being out of adjustment. The density altitude at the time of the incident was 10,900 feet.
Damage Avoidance
The decision to veer off the highway was made to prevent a collision with vehicles. The airplane sustained damage during this maneuver.