What happened
During a local flight, the pilot and a pilot-rated passenger were conducting maneuvers to practice one engine inoperative (OEI) procedures. Approximately 15 minutes after takeoff, flight and engine monitoring data showed that the left engine lost all power at an altitude of roughly 2,500 feet. This loss of power was likely an intentional shutdown for training purposes, as the pilot successfully restored power to the left engine about four minutes later, allowing the flight to continue toward the departure airport.
Approximately 7.5 minutes after the initial restoration, while at an altitude of about 3,500 feet and 6 nautical miles from the departure point, the right engine lost all power. This was followed almost immediately by a total loss of power from the left engine. While data suggested a slight increase in fuel flow to the left engine, power was not fully restored. The aircraft continued toward the departure airport in a descent, eventually striking trees and the ground in an upright position. A witness observed the aircraft approaching with the landing gear down, noting that neither propeller appeared to be rotating. Post-accident analysis of security camera footage indicated that one engine was likely running at a low RPM while the other was at an even lower speed.
Findings
Investigations suggest the crew was performing intentional engine-out training. The primary cause of the dual engine failure was likely the pilot's failure to correctly identify and verify the engine intended for shutdown, which led to the accidental securing of the left engine immediately after the right engine had been shut down.
While the pilot attempted to restore power to the left engine, the available power was insufficient to maintain the aircraft's altitude. Furthermore, the decision to perform these procedures at a low altitude significantly limited the time and altitude available to troubleshoot the engine issues. Although toxicology reports identified the presence of several medications in the pilot's system, including cetirizine, codeine, and lamotrigine, these were not considered contributing factors to the accident.