19990115000499A

Acft was on approach to rwy 21 when the pilot reported both engines out before making an emergency landing on route 460. Other circumstances are unknown. (.19) on January 15, 1999, about 1800 eastern standard time, a Piper PA-60-602P, N72EZ, was substantially damaged when it lost power and impacted terrain while on approach to the Lynchburg regional/preston glenn field airport (lyh), Lynchburg, Virginia. The certificated private pilot was seriously injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and no flight plan had been filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR part 91. A review of the airplane's maintenance records revealed the airplane had received an annual inspection on January 11, 1999, at a maintenance facility located at the lancaster airport (lns), lancaster, Pennsylvania. On the day of the accident, the airplane was flown from lns to lyh by a pilot employed by the maintenance facility, and returned to the owner/accident pilot. The owner/accident pilot flew the airplane back to lns to drop off the maintenance facility pilot, and then departed for lyh. According to a federal aviation administration (FAA) inspector, the airplane was on approach to runway 21, when the pilot radioed to the Lynchburg air traffic control tower that one of the airplane's engines had lost power. About 4 minutes later, the pilot reported that the airplane's second engine had lost power and declared an emergency. The airplane came to rest about 4 miles northeast of lyh. The airplane struck trees before it impacted a highway, slid through a drainage ditch, and collided with the highway divider. Initial examination of the wreckage by an FAA inspector revealed that during the impact sequence, both wings separated outboard of the engines. Approximately 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane's fuselage fuel tank. The wreckage was moved to a hangar to be examined further at a later date. A check of refueling records revealed the airplane was "topped off" with 75 galons of 100LL before the flight to lns. According to the airplane's flight manual, the airplane's total usable fuel capacity was 165.5 gallons. The pilot reported 3,620 hours of total flight experience on his last application for an FAA third class medical certificate, which was issued on October 1, 1998. (.4) while en route, the pilot noticed oil streaming out of the airplane's left engine cowling and secured the left engine. Approximately 3 miles from his destination, the right engine lost total power and the pilot performed a forced landing to a highway. Examination of the airplane 50 minutes after the accident revealed that both wings were separated outboard of the engines. There was no fuel or odor of fuel present in or around the wing fuel tanks, and approximately 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane's fuselage fuel tank, which was not compromised. Examinations of both engines revealed a hole burnt through the number 6 piston of the left engine, and damage to the piston was consistent with detonation. A test run of the airplane's right engine did not reveal any pre-impact discrepancies which would have precluded normal engine operation. The airplane's total usable fuel capacity was 165.5 gallons. The airplane had been flown about 2 1/2 hours since it's last refueling, and the estimated fuel used was about 122.5 gallons. The airplane was equipped with a fuel flow indicating system; which when powered after the accident indicated that 40.5 gallons of fuel remained, and 124.1 gallons had been used since the last re-fueling.