What happened
During the initial climb phase following takeoff, the pilot of the aircraft experienced a loss of power in the right engine. In an attempt to manage the emergency, the pilot tried to return to the airport for a landing; however, it was determined that the aircraft would not reach the runway in time. Consequently, the pilot chose to perform an emergency landing in a dirt field. During the descent, the aircraft passed beneath power lines before the pilot attempted to flare the plane prior to the impact with the terrain.
Findings
An investigation into the right engine, which utilized Teledlyne Continental GTSIO-520 engines, revealed significant mechanical failure. Post-accident analysis showed that all teeth on the starter adapter gear were missing, along with several teeth on the crankshaft gear. Metal fragments and gear teeth were discovered within the oil sump. Additionally, the woodruff key for the torsional damper to shaft gear had sheared. Testing of the recovered torsional damper showed an average damping time of 6.9 seconds, which significantly exceeded the manufacturer's specified range of 1.5 to 3.125 seconds.
Metallurgical examination confirmed that 15 teeth on the starter gear and 11 teeth on the crankshaft gear had fractured near the root. While no pre-existing cracks were found, spalling and wear were observed on the pitch line of several teeth. Although Teledyne Continental had issued Mandatory Service Bulletin MSB94-4 (and later revision MSB94-4G) regarding these specific gear failures, and the FAA had issued Airworthiness Directive 2005-20-04, maintenance records were inconclusive. While the engine overhaul in March 2001 showed compliance, there was no evidence that the required inspections had been performed since the engine's installation. At the time of the accident, the engine had recorded 541.9 total hours. Furthermore, the pilot failed to adhere to established emergency procedures during the event.