What happened
On August 22, 2020, at approximately 05:30 UTC, a Beechcraft King Air 90A, registration SP-ISS, departed from EPBC to perform a photogrammetric mission, with a planned landing at EPRZ. After climbing to FL25 and stabilizing engine parameters for cruise flight, the pilot noticed a slight decrease in power from the left engine at approximately 06:05 UTC.
Upon detecting the power loss, the pilot notified Air Traffic Control (ATC) and requested a return to Modlin Airport (EPMO). During the descent toward the airport, the left engine experienced a sudden, significant drop in power and subsequently failed. The pilot managed to perform an emergency landing using the remaining engine and successfully taxied the aircraft to a hangar without further incident.
The investigation
The investigation focused on the mechanical performance of the engine and the fuel delivery system during the descent phase of the flight.