Engine Failure During Cruise
While cruising at 15,000 feet, the right engine lost power. The pilot attempted to restart the engine but was unsuccessful. He feathered the propeller and informed air traffic control that an engine failure had occurred. ATC provided vectors toward the nearest airport, located approximately 22 miles away.
Restart Attempts and Descent
The pilot set the right fuel selector to crossfeed and initiated a second restart attempt. This time the engine started, but operated for only a few seconds. The airplane could not maintain its altitude. As the aircraft descended through 7,100 feet (about 1,110 feet above ground level), the pilot achieved another successful restart. He moved all engine controls fully forward. The engine ran for roughly 30 seconds before losing power again. The right propeller then left the feathered position, causing the rate of descent to increase.
Forced Landing and Examination
The pilot chose to land in a field just short of the airport. After the event, fuel was visible in three of the four fuel tanks. Mechanical continuity of the right engine was confirmed. Examination of the fuel selectors, the right fuel boost pump, and the right engine throttle body servo found no mechanical malfunctions or failures.