What happened
The aircraft had been kept in outside storage and inactive since early 1989. Following the purchase of the aircraft, the pilot underwent an annual inspection that was completed on March 28, 1996. On March 29, 19lag6, the pilot and a flight instructor departed on the first flight following the maintenance.
During the flight, one engine began to run rough and lose power. The crew attempted to return to the airport, but before reaching the runway, the second engine stopped running. As the aircraft was on short final, the first engine also ceased operation. Due to insufficient altitude to reach the runway, the aircraft touched down short of the runway, resulting in damage to the aircraft. There were no injuries reported.
The investigation
Maintenance records from the recent annual inspection indicated that new fuel lines had been installed and both gascolators had been cleaned and inspected. The logs noted that all fuel and oil lines and accessories had been checked.
Post-accident inspections revealed rust-colored deposits in both gascolators, with water present in the left gascolator bowl. Both gascolator screens showed dark discoloration and signs of water corrosion. Additionally, dark-colored contamination was discovered in the inlet screens for both the left and right fuel servos.
Mechanical examination of the ignition system found that the shaft of the left engine's left magneto exhibited a wobble and had a cracked drive coupling. Testing of the right engine's left magneto showed it failed to produce a spark. Furthermore, investigators found oil and corrosion contamination inside the housing of the right engine's right magneto.