What happened
While operating a flight from Lisbon to Bragança, the aircraft was cruising at an altitude of 8,000 feet through cloud cover when the crew detected vibrations originating from the right engine. Shortly after this discovery, the flight crew proceeded to shut down the affected engine and feathered the propeller to stabilize the aircraft.
Following the engine shutdown, the pilot found it impossible to sustain a safe flight altitude using only the remaining engine. Consequently, the decision was made to descend toward a nearby road to attempt an emergency landing. During the final approach, the aircraft collided with trees before crashing. There were four occupants on board, all of whom sustained slight injuries during the impact.
Findings
- The right engine experienced mechanical vibrations during the cruise phase.
- The inability to maintain altitude on a single engine necessitated a forced descent.