20200817013089A

On August 17, 2020 at 2330 hours, local, FAA iic received notice regarding a twin-engine aircraft accident at 243 ring drive, Groton CT 06340 that impacted a house approximately one mile from runway 23 at the Groton-new London airport (kgon).

FAA iic inspector arrived on scene at 0100 hours August 19, where a 1974 twin engine seneca N41382 s/n 34-7450114 impacted a house. Initial examination of the substantially damaged aircraft revealed the aircraft came to rest mostly intact, upright slightly right wing low within the roof of the ranch style house. The nose, cockpit, right wing, right engine, and half of the fuselage was contained within the structure. The left wing and engine was above the roof line and tail section and other half of the cabin was visible from the ground. One third of the outboard right wing was torn and pushed aft. The fuselage from the rear aft door had ripped on the number one side and was sitting at about a thirty-degree angle but still attached. Entry to the aircraft was not available at this time due the instability of the house and by recommendations of the town?s deputy fire chief and building official. The smell of avgas fuel was prominent in the air.

The flight instructor and pilot undergoing additional training for his multi-engine rating escaped out the aircraft door down into the house and out the front door. One owner occupant of the house was in a rear bedroom and escaped out a window from that room. The aircraft crew were transported to the local hospital and treated for cuts and bruises. EMS services treated the homeowner for fuel inhalation and released.

The aircraft left bangor Maine airport (kbgr) approximately 2.5 hours prior to the accident with full fuel (98 gallons) from a round trip training flight earlier from the Groton airport. Testing for water and impurities was performed at bangor (kbgr) airport FBO with none found.

On return to the Groton airport (kgon) flight following was canceled with providence approach. The airport area was VFR at the time and aircraft flight pattern work was being performed. On the third round of pattern work while mid base to runway 23 an engine loss of power with sputtering occurred. The engine sputter was heard by several people on the ground including two Groton town police officers in the parking lot of the police station. In a statement by the flight instructor and follow up interviews the following occurred. The flight controls were set during downwind to base at 15 inches of manifold pressure, flaps down ten, and gear down.

The instructor took positive control of the aircraft after loss of power to diagnose a partial loss of power engine issue and remained at the controls. In a series of emergency procedures, he brought all engine controls full forward and required left pedal input. He noticed differential manifold pressure, pulled back on the number two engine throttle, and had no yaw difference in control, confirming it was the number two engine loss of power. He stated he traded some altitude for more airspeed for controllability while continuing to turn toward the airport initially. He started to level off and tried to initiate a climb but was unable and still losing altitude. He then decided that the airport was not an option and flew towards a dark area thinking it was not inhabited. He saw some street lights and thought of landing on a road so started to parallel them. He raised the flaps, left the gear down, closed the throttle and mixture on the number two engine. He reported that he feathered the number two engine. (When the controls were witnessed before removal from the house the number two propeller control lever was full forward and when the aircraft was removed it was visually verified that the prop was not feathered). Impact into the house came relatively soon thereafter in a darkened neighborhood at a relatively flat pitch. Egress from the airplane and house was stated above.

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