Accident Overview
On April 2, 2009, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 337G, registration N222G, encountered uneven terrain during a forced landing near Baker, California. The pilot/owner was operating the airplane under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The certificated airline transport pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; the airplane sustained substantial damage to the airframe and wings. The cross-country personal flight had departed Corona, California, at 1545, with a planned destination of Henderson, Nevada. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed.
Pilot Report
The pilot reported that in cruise flight, both engines began to sputter and lose power. He attempted a restart but was unsuccessful. The airplane was losing altitude rapidly. He headed toward Interstate 15, estimating he would be found quicker. He estimated the wind out of the southeast at 40 knots. He wanted to turn into the wind for landing but could only get to a gravel road with a crosswind. He lowered the landing gear at the last instant to cushion the landing and kept the left wing low into the wind. The left wing contacted a gravel berm along the left side of the road, causing the airplane to spin around. The landing gear fractured and separated; the airplane came to rest with the right wing on the ground.
Post-Accident Examination
Recovery personnel drained 27 gallons of fuel from the left tank and 1.5 gallons from the right tank.
The Safety Board investigator-in-charge (IIC) examined the airplane and engines. For the front engine, the top spark plugs were removed. All plugs were clean and oval shaped with no mechanical deformation. The electrodes were gray, indicating normal operation per the Champion Aviation Check-A-Plug AV-27 Chart. The IIC manually rotated the crankshaft; it rotated freely, valves moved in firing order, accessory case gears turned freely, and thumb compression was obtained on all cylinders. Spark was produced at all plug electrodes when rotated. Similar results were found for the rear engine.
Recovery personnel plumbed a fuel supply to the left wing inlet line and installed a non-certified propeller. The front engine started without difficulty; no fuel flow indications due to impact damage. After temperature stabilized, full throttle yielded 26 inches of manifold pressure and a maximum of 1,400 rpm. Initially black smoke came from exhaust but cleared. Mixture control had no effect until the last inch toward idle cutoff. Engine idled smoothly at 700 rpm and shut off smoothly with mixture.
For the rear engine, recovery personnel plumbed a fuel supply to the right wing inlet line. The rear engine started without difficulty; no fuel flow indications due to impact damage. After temperature stabilized, full throttle produced manifold pressure to the top of the green arc, rpm climbing through 2,500 rpm. They did not go higher as the rear propeller was deformed and the engine started to vibrate. They set rpm at 1,800 and completed a magneto check; rpm dropped 100 on left magneto and 50 on right. Aft movement of mixture smoothed engine operation. Engine idled smoothly at 750 rpm and shut off smoothly by mixture with a 50-rpm rise.