Flight Details
The flight involved banner towing operations in the Washington, DC/Baltimore area for approximately 2.5 hours. After completing the towing, the aircraft landed at Mitchellville, Maryland, to refuel. The crew pumped 21 to 22 gallons of fuel aboard for the return trip to their home base at Goose Creek Airport in Mint Hill, North Carolina.
Approach and Go-Around
Upon arrival at Goose Creek, the pilot-in-command (PIC) observed that the landing approach appeared high. The PIC decided to execute a go-around for a second landing attempt. As power was being added for the go-around, the engine ceased operation.
Forced Landing
Following the engine failure, the PIC relinquished control to the second-in-command/safety pilot, who conducted a forced landing to a vacant field. The aircraft came to rest in the field.
Post-Accident Inspection
After the accident, investigators found between 5 and 10 gallons of fuel remaining in the wreckage. According to the type certificate data sheets for the aircraft, 9 gallons of fuel is considered unusable. The engine was subsequently removed and tested in a factory test cell, where it operated satisfactorily throughout the test run.