Accident Details
A twin-engine airplane, recently purchased and maintained for resale, was involved in an accident several miles south of the departing airport. According to witnesses, the aircraft was flying at an estimated altitude of 1,500 feet above ground when engine problems were heard. The airplane then entered a nose-low, near-vertical spiraling descent, completing several revolutions before impacting a dirt road.
Pre-Accident History
The airplane had flown approximately 10 hours during the 18-month period prior to its last annual inspection. Following the inspection, it accumulated an additional 10 hours of flight time over the subsequent month, leading up to the accident.
Investigative Findings
Evidence at the accident scene was consistent with a loss of power on the right engine. Investigators identified evidence that the fuel system for the right engine had been exposed to water for an extended period. However, the effect of this exposure on the operation of the right engine could not be determined. Aside from the possibility of fuel contamination, no other airworthiness issues were identified that could account for the loss of engine power.