What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
(-23) During instructional flight, a/c lost power on approach and could not make it to the airport. Landed on hwy 49. Substantial damage. (.4) the flight had completed an ILS approach to runway 36, with a simulated engine out, but did not touch down. The airplane was on final approach when both engines lost power. The CFI said as we turned onto left downwind for runway 36, '...I set zero thrust with the [left] throttle and prop control. About mid field the right engine began to lose power. I turned on both boost pumps and pushed both props and throttles forward. The left engine surged a couple of times but could not produce power. The right engine did not respond...we turned towards the airport...I switched to aux on the fuel tanks and tried to restart to no avail...switched back to mains to no avail. At this time we were about 400 feet AGL and realized we would not make the airport. We turned north to land on highway 49...shortly after touchdown the right wing tip hit a light post. We spun around and came to a stop....' Inspection of the wreckage revealed sufficient fuel. Investigators verified flight control continuity, continuity of the fuel system in all positions, the boost pumps worked, and the vents were clear. Both engines were removed from the airplane to facility test runs of the engines, both engines ran, and no discrepancies were found.
As the FAA filed it
(-23) DURING INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, A/C LOST POWER ON APPROACH AND COULD NOT MAKE IT TO THE AIRPORT. LANDED ON HWY 49. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. (.4) THE FLIGHT HAD COMPLETED AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36, WITH A SIMULATED ENGINE OUT, BUT DID NOT TOUCH DOWN. THE AIRPLANE WAS ON FINAL APPROACH WHEN BOTH ENGINES LOST POWER. THE CFI SAID AS WE TURNED ONTO LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RUNWAY 36, '...I SET ZERO THRUST WITH THE [LEFT] THROTTLE AND PROP CONTROL. ABOUT MID FIELD THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. I TURNED ON BOTH BOOST PUMPS AND PUSHED BOTH PROPS AND THROTTLES FORWARD. THE LEFT ENGINE SURGED A COUPLE OF TIMES BUT COULD NOT PRODUCE POWER. THE RIGHT ENGINE DID NOT RESPOND...WE TURNED TOWARDS THE AIRPORT...I SWITCHED TO AUX ON THE FUEL TANKS AND TRIED TO RESTART TO NO AVAIL...SWITCHED BACK TO MAINS TO NO AVAIL. AT THIS TIME WE WERE ABOUT 400 FEET AGL AND REALIZED WE WOULD NOT MAKE THE AIRPORT. WE TURNED NORTH TO LAND ON HIGHWAY 49...SHORTLY AFTER TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT A LIGHT POST. WE SPUN AROUND AND CAME TO A STOP....' INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED SUFFICIENT FUEL. INVESTIGATORS VERIFIED FLIGHT CONTROL CONTINUITY, CONTINUITY OF THE FUEL SYSTEM IN ALL POSITIONS, THE BOOST PUMPS WORKED, AND THE VENTS WERE CLEAR. BOTH ENGINES WERE REMOVED FROM THE AIRPLANE TO FACILITY TEST RUNS OF THE ENGINES, BOTH ENGINES RAN, AND NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.