Incident Overview
During the final approach to landing, after receiving clearance to land, the pilot informed the air traffic controller that he might need to shut down an engine. The pilot declined to declare an emergency or request assistance. On short final, the aircraft was observed to roll to the left and descend into the terrain.
Examination Findings
Subsequent examination of the wreckage revealed evidence that the left engine was not developing power at the time of impact, although the left propeller was not feathered. Evidence also indicated that the right engine was producing high power during the impact. No mechanical deficiency of the left engine or propeller was found.
Pilot and Occupants
The pilot, who was the sole occupant on board, was killed in the accident.
Probable Cause
According to the official investigation, the probable cause of the accident was the pilot's improper emergency procedures by not feathering the left engine after it lost power and/or was shut down, and his failure to keep the aircraft at or above the minimum control airspeed (VMC), which resulted in a loss of aircraft control. An additional factor was an undetermined problem concerning the left engine that caused it to lose power or prompted the pilot to shut it down.