What happened
During a visual flight rules (VFR) pattern maneuver, the pilot was transitioning from the left base leg to the final approach for landing when the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of power in both left-side engines. In an attempt to manage the situation and maintain directional control of the aircraft type, the pilot reduced power on the remaining right-side engines.
The resulting forced landing led to a ground excursion where the aircraft traversed several ditches and struck small trees. Interestingly, as the aircraft made contact with the ground, the two left engines unexpectedly returned to full power. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, escaped the incident uninjured.
Findings
Official investigations into the event identified several key elements regarding the sequence of the accident:
- The primary reason for the initial loss of engine power remained undetermined.
- The aircraft encountered difficult terrain conditions consisting of ditches during the landing roll.
- The descent and subsequent ground contact involved collisions with stationary objects, specifically small trees.