What happened
A repositioning flight involving a twin-engine airplane ended in an accident approximately 8 miles south of the departure airport. The pilot, who was the former owner of the aircraft, intended to move the plane to an airport located roughly 22 miles south of the origin. Prior to departure, the pilot had added 10 gallons of fuel to each of the two main tanks.
Roughly five minutes after takeoff, while maintaining an altitude of about 1,000 feet, the pilot reported a loss of engine power. During the descent, the pilot attempted to maneuver the aircraft by wagging the wings in an effort to ensure all fuel remained usable. The aircraft subsequently struck a building and the ground. The pilot survived the impact but sustained serious injuries, and no fire occurred at the crash site.
Findings
Investigation of the wreckage revealed conflicting information regarding the engine failure. While the pilot provided three different accounts concerning which engine failed or the specific nature of the malfunction, physical evidence showed that the left engine and propeller were damaged in a manner consistent with the engine being operational at the moment of impact. Conversely, the right engine and propeller showed damage consistent with low or no power at the time of the crash, and the right engine was later successfully operated in a test cell.
No mechanical anomalies were found in the airframe, engines, or propellers that would have contributed to the crash. However, investigators noted that the placards for the fuel selector valve did not correctly represent the actual configuration of the fuel system. Additionally, the exact amount of fuel in the tanks and its distribution at the start of the flight or during the accident could not be confirmed.