At about 1620 Pacific time, the airplane collided with terrain, sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot received minor injuries and his passenger received serious injuries. According to the pilot, three or four minutes after takeoff, the engine started to lose power, but did not completely stop running. He therefore switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, activated the fuel boost pump, and switched to alternate inductions air. When none of these actions seemed to help, the pilot turned back toward the airport, but elected a forced landing on snow-covered terrain. He touched down with the landing gear extended in about three feet of snow. The impact resulted in crushing damage to the belly of the aircraft.
March 2, 2008, Mammoth, Calif., Beech B36TC
At about 1620 Pacific time, the airplane collided with terrain, sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot received minor injuries and his passenger received serious injuries. According to the pilot, three or four minutes after takeoff, the engine started to lose power, but did not completely stop running. He therefore switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, activated the fuel boost pump, and switched to alternate inductions air. When none of these actions seemed to help, the pilot turned back toward the airport, but elected a forced landing on snow-covered terrain. He touched down with the landing gear extended in about three feet of snow. The impact resulted in crushing damage to the belly of the aircraft.
Key Takeaways:
- An airplane experienced a loss of engine power a few minutes after takeoff, prompting the pilot to attempt troubleshooting.
- Despite the pilot's efforts (switching fuel tanks, checking magnetos, etc.), the engine power loss persisted, necessitating a forced landing.
- The pilot executed a forced landing on snow-covered terrain, resulting in substantial damage to the aircraft and injuries to both occupants (minor for the pilot, serious for the passenger).
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