19990528006079A

N7991Y departed mlc, left engine failed, acft crashed 2 miles south of airport.(.19) on may 28, 1999, at 1630 central daylight time, a Piper PA-30 twin engine airplane, N7991Y, was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a loss of power near Mcalester, Oklahoma. The instrument rated private pilot and his pilot rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was owned and operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a flight plan was not filed for the 14 code of federal regulations (CFR) part 91 personal flight destined for Oklahoma city, Oklahoma. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. During a telephone interview conducted by the NTSB investigator-in-charge, the pilot stated that shortly after takeoff, climbing through 300 feet AGL, the left engine "quit." The pilot added that after attempting to restart the engine, he elected to feather the propeller. Shortly after feathering the left propeller, the right engine started to "sputter." The pilot stated that the right engine never completely failed; however, he was unable to maintain altitude with the sputtering right engine and elected to land the airplane in a field approximately 2 miles south of the Mcalester airport. The pilot landed in the field with the landing gear retracted. The pilot stated that the left wing spar, outboard of the engine, was broken. The right wing spar, outboard of the engine, was bent aft and the empennage was separated for a section of sheet metal attaching the tail to the airplane. The pilot reported that he had refueled the airplane with 90 gallons of fuel prior to his departure. The pilot stated that he had visually checked the fuel level prior to the departure; however, he did not sump the fuel tanks. He added that the flight to Mcalester was uneventful and that there were no problems with either engine. The pilot accumulated approximately 450 hours in the PA-30 and approximately 700 hours total flight time. The pilot inadvertently stalling the airplane while attempting to avoid power lines. Factors were the loss of power on both the left and right engines as a result of water contamination in the fuel system, the pilot's inadequate preflight procedures, and the lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.