What happened
During a FAR Part 91 instructional flight, a multi-engine airplane was being operated by a second pilot who had recently purchased the aircraft to pursue a multi-engine rating. This flight marked the pilot's third flight in two days in this specific aircraft.
Witnesses observed the aircraft approaching the airport from the southeast in a level flight attitude, noting that the plane appeared to be traveling slowly, similar to a landing procedure. Shortly after this observation, a witness reported that the airplane began to "auger" toward the ground with a left wing low attitude. The aircraft reportedly completed approximately three revolutions before impacting the terrain in a nose low attitude. The accident occurred approximately two miles from the destination airport.
The investigation
A post-crash examination of the airframe was conducted, during which investigators noted that the emergency hydraulic pump handle was in the full aft (extended) position. An examination of both engines and the airframe revealed no evidence of any pre-crash failure or mechanical anomaly.