What happened
Roughly five minutes after takeoff, the pilot notified air traffic control that the left engine was emitting heavy smoke. The pilot reported that he had feathered the propeller and intended to return to the airport for a landing.
During the approach, air traffic control informed the pilot that the landing gear remained in the retracted position. In response, the pilot decided to execute a go-around. Witnesses at the scene noted that they did not observe smoke emanating from either engine. They observed the aircraft bank to the left while on the base leg of its approach before descending into the ground. The occupants were not injured.
The investigation
Investigators examined the propeller governors and determined that it was actually the right propeller that had been feathered, rather than the left as previously reported by the pilot. A subsequent disassembly and inspection of both engines revealed no mechanical failures or discrepancies.