What happened
During a local flight intended for testing following recent maintenance work, a twin engine airplane experienced a simultaneous loss of power in both engines. The aircraft was operating at a low altitude when the failure occurred. In response to the loss of propulsion, the pilot executed an emergency landing in a nearby field using the aircraft's belly.
There were two people on board, consisting of the pilot and one engineer. Although the impact caused the aircraft to be damaged beyond repair, both occupants managed to exit the plane without any injuries.
Findings
The investigation determined that the primary reason for the accident was a wheels-up landing resulting from insufficient preflight checks. Several contributing elements were identified regarding the aircraft's operational state and fuel management:
- Errors in managing fuel levels
- Incorrect calculations of fuel usage
- The occurrence of fuel exhaustion
- Deficiencies in maintenance and inspection procedures
- The aircraft was undergoing a 100-hour inspection at the time
- The system used to indicate fuel quantity was not properly calibrated