What happened
During a climb shortly after departing from Twin Falls-City County Airport, the right engine of the aircraft experienced a loss of power. Because the crew could not successfully feather the propeller on the right engine, the captain opted to descend. The flight ended in a belly landing within a field situated approximately 16 miles northwest of the airport in Buhl.
The mission was being conducted as a local flight for the United States Department of the Interior. Although the aircraft sustained damage that rendered it beyond repair, there were no injuries among the three crew members on board.
Findings
Investigations into the incident determined that the primary cause was a partial loss of power in the right engine resulting from a ruptured fuel feed valve diaphragm. Several contributing factors were identified during the inquiry, including:
- The pilot-in-command did not adhere to established approved procedures
- Execution of emergency protocols was improper
- The decision was made to perform an intentional wheels-up landing
- The propeller failed to feather following the engine failure