Accident Sequence
The multi-engine centerline-thrust airplane was cruising at 2,500 feet with a ground speed of 110 knots when radar data showed altitude excursions descending to 1,300 feet. Witnesses reported a steep bank angle, high airspeed, and an increase in power before the airplane struck trees. There was no odor of fuel or evidence of fire at the scene.
Maintenance Records
Examination of the aircraft logbooks revealed only four entries in the five years preceding the accident. Each entry documented completion of an annual inspection with no discrepancies noted. No entries reflected compliance with Airworthiness Directives or any scheduled or unscheduled maintenance. The logbook entries were signed by mechanics who were either unlicensed or whose privileges had been revoked. An FAA Airworthiness condition notice placed on the airplane three years prior was closed without action because the pilot/owner stated he would no longer fly the airplane.
Pilot Background and Training
The pilot received his multi-engine rating three years after purchasing the airplane. Flight instruction and evaluation for that rating were conducted in an airplane completely different in make, model, and configuration. The pilot logged only three hours of instruction in the accident airplane but recorded 17 hours of solo flight before training for his multi-engine exam. His last known biennial flight review was six years before the accident.
Aircraft Systems
The pilot's wife reported that the fuel quantity system had been inoperative for approximately six months prior to the accident. The single-engine service ceiling for the airplane at maximum gross weight with the aft engine operating was 10,200 feet, and the maximum single-engine rate of climb in the same configuration was 450 feet per minute.