Incident Overview
Shortly after takeoff on a hot day, when the airplane was approximately 10 miles from the departure airport, the rear engine failed for undetermined reasons. The pilot initiated a turn back toward the airport, feathered the rear engine, and set the front engine power to the top of the green arc on the manifold pressure gauge, corresponding to 33 inches of manifold pressure.
Forced Landing
The airplane did not maintain altitude at that power setting. To avoid houses and vehicles on the ground, the pilot executed a forced landing at a water treatment plant. During the landing, the airplane struck the top of a concrete structure, then hit the ground, and subsequently became engulfed in flames.
Manufacturer's Guidance and Performance
According to the owner's manual, after an engine failure, the remaining engine power is to be "increased as required." The published maximum power setting was 37 inches of manifold pressure at "red line," without any time limitations. A performance calculation indicated that at the existing ambient temperatures and at that power setting of 37 inches, the airplane should have been capable of climbing at a rate of at least 290 feet per minute. Additional references to the use of a 37-inch power setting, including performance calculations, were noted in the owner's manual.