What happened
During the process of retracting the landing gear, the flight crew experienced a series of loud bangs, including one large impact followed by several smaller sounds. The first officer identified that the left engine had been impacted, prompting the immediate feathering of the propeller. After verifying the propeller position visually, the captain noted that the right engine was operating at maximum available power with a manifold pressure of 55 inches.
Despite the high power setting on the remaining engine, the aircraft could not exceed an indicated airspeed of approximately 95 to 96 knots. Due to the inability to maintain sufficient altitude, the pilot attempted to return to the airfield for an emergency descent. The aircraft ultimately struck an airport perimeter fence and a sand berm while attempting to land on a road bordering the airport.
Findings
An initial inspection of the engine and various system components showed no evidence of a mechanical malfunction occurring prior to the impact.