What happened
During the takeoff roll, the aircraft's left engine suffered a loss of power while the plane was approximately 800 feet down the left side of the runway. This loss of thrust caused the aircraft to swerve toward the left edge of the runway, where it struck a drainage ditch. The impact resulted in the aircraft flipping over and coming to rest in an inverted position.
Findings
Investigation into the engine failure revealed a mechanical issue within the fuel control unit. Specifically, a leak was identified at a seam in the bellows assembly, which had moved into an extended position.
Additionally, investigators found that the propeller start locks were still engaged at the time of impact. For these locks to be disengaged after an engine start, the pilot must move the power levers back to the reverse position; the locks remain engaged if the levers are only moved to the flight range. The investigation concluded that improper use of the propeller system and a failure to maintain directional control contributed to the accident.