What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
Acft exp dual eng failure in flight and made emg gear up landing in field, Charlotte, MI. (.4)the left-seat pilot stated that before takeoff, the fuel selectors for both engines were set to the 'inboard' detents. The cowl flap selectors, located forward of the fuel selectors on the same floor mounted console, were both set to the 'open' positions. At approximately 1200-1300 feet AGL, the co-pilot began to transition the aircraft from climb to cruise, and initiated action to close the cowl flaps. Shortly thereafter, both engines lost total power simultaneously. In attempts to restart the engines, the pilot-in-command tried varying the power level positions, adjusting the mixture control, and turning the fuel pumps on and off. He decided to initiate a forced landing in a soybean field. During the subsequent forced landing, the airplane touched down approximately 150 feet from the end of the field. The airplane slid across the bean field, collided with trees, and came to rest. Examination of the cockpit revealed both fuel selectors to be in the middle position, indicating 'off.' The cowl flap selectors were both in the full up and aft position, indicating 'open'. Both pilots stated that the cowl flap selectors were ste to the 'open' posistion during takeoff and climb. The co-pilot stated that he moved the cowl flap selectors to the middle, or 'trail' position, shortly before both engines failed. Neither pilot remembered touching the fuel electors at any time after takeoff. (-23) the pilots departed the airport for the purpose of a sales demonstration flight. Approximately five minutes after takeoff the aztec leveled off at 1,000 AGL. The flying pilot closed the cowl flaps and both engines simultaneously failed. Both the left and right fuel selectors were in the off position.
As the FAA filed it
ACFT EXP DUAL ENG FAILURE IN FLIGHT AND MADE EMG GEAR UP LANDING IN FIELD, CHARLOTTE, MI. (.4)THE LEFT-SEAT PILOT STATED THAT BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE FUEL SELECTORS FOR BOTH ENGINES WERE SET TO THE 'INBOARD' DETENTS. THE COWL FLAP SELECTORS, LOCATED FORWARD OF THE FUEL SELECTORS ON THE SAME FLOOR MOUNTED CONSOLE, WERE BOTH SET TO THE 'OPEN' POSITIONS. AT APPROXIMATELY 1200-1300 FEET AGL, THE CO-PILOT BEGAN TO TRANSITION THE AIRCRAFT FROM CLIMB TO CRUISE, AND INITIATED ACTION TO CLOSE THE COWL FLAPS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, BOTH ENGINES LOST TOTAL POWER SIMULTANEOUSLY. IN ATTEMPTS TO RESTART THE ENGINES, THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TRIED VARYING THE POWER LEVEL POSITIONS, ADJUSTING THE MIXTURE CONTROL, AND TURNING THE FUEL PUMPS ON AND OFF. HE DECIDED TO INITIATE A FORCED LANDING IN A SOYBEAN FIELD. DURING THE SUBSEQUENT FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN APPROXIMATELY 150 FEET FROM THE END OF THE FIELD. THE AIRPLANE SLID ACROSS THE BEAN FIELD, COLLIDED WITH TREES, AND CAME TO REST. EXAMINATION OF THE COCKPIT REVEALED BOTH FUEL SELECTORS TO BE IN THE MIDDLE POSITION, INDICATING 'OFF.' THE COWL FLAP SELECTORS WERE BOTH IN THE FULL UP AND AFT POSITION, INDICATING 'OPEN'. BOTH PILOTS STATED THAT THE COWL FLAP SELECTORS WERE STE TO THE 'OPEN' POSISTION DURING TAKEOFF AND CLIMB. THE CO-PILOT STATED THAT HE MOVED THE COWL FLAP SELECTORS TO THE MIDDLE, OR 'TRAIL' POSITION, SHORTLY BEFORE BOTH ENGINES FAILED. NEITHER PILOT REMEMBERED TOUCHING THE FUEL ELECTORS AT ANY TIME AFTER TAKEOFF. (-23) THE PILOTS DEPARTED THE AIRPORT FOR THE PURPOSE OF A SALES DEMONSTRATION FLIGHT. APPROXIMATELY FIVE MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF THE AZTEC LEVELED OFF AT 1,000 AGL. THE FLYING PILOT CLOSED THE COWL FLAPS AND BOTH ENGINES SIMULTANEOUSLY FAILED. BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL SELECTORS WERE IN THE OFF POSITION.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.