What happened
Approximately eight minutes after takeoff, the aircraft reached an altitude of 2,200 feet mean sea level. During the flight, the right engine experienced a reduction in power to near idle levels. Roughly one minute later, the aircraft began a descending left turn. Three minutes after the initial right engine power reduction, the left engine suffered a complete loss of power. Following this, the right engine power briefly increased to near takeoff levels before the right engine also lost all power. The aircraft subsequently struck a utility pole and the ground.
Witnesses at the scene reported seeing the airplane in a low-altitude, descending turn. One observer noted a fireball and smoke following the impact, while another observed a fuel leak originating from the right engine toward the cockpit area. Post-impact, both engines were seen on fire. The left wing was found separated from the aircraft near the utility pole.
Findings
Investigation of the engines revealed that the left engine showed no signs of pre-impact malfunction. However, the right engine showed damage consistent with oil starvation. The propeller blades on the left engine were found at or near the feather pitch position, while the right propeller blades were near the low pitch position.
Regarding fuel configuration, both cockpit fuel selectors were set to the right main tank. The left fuel selector valve in the engine nacelle was found in the off position. While the amount of fuel in the left tank could not be determined due to fire, the right main tank contained approximately one gallon of fuel at the time of recovery. The total unusable fuel for this aircraft configuration was 7.8 gallons.
An examination of the pilot's medical history noted cardiovascular conditions, including hypertension and an enlarged heart, but an autopsy ruled out a sudden cardiac event as a cause. Although low therapeutic levels of cyclobenzaprine and zolpidem were detected in the pilot's blood, investigators determined that these substances did not cause performance or fatigue issues during the flight.