Cessna 337G N222G accident near Baker, California

Probable cause

A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.

NTSB analysis

The pilot was in cruise flight when both engines began to sputter and lose power. He attempted a restart of each engine but was unsuccessful. He estimated that the wind was out of the southeast at 40 knots and he wanted to turn into the wind for the landing, but could only get to a gravel road, which had a crosswind. He lowered the landing gear at the last instant in an attempt to cushion the landing, and kept the left wing low into the wind. The left wing contacted a gravel berm along the left side of the road, and the airplane spun around on the road. The landing gear fractured and separated and the airplane came to rest with the right wing on the ground. Recovery personnel drained 27 gallons of fuel from the left tank and 1.5 gallons from the right tank; the fuel selector valves were positioned for normal cruise flight. During a followup examination of the airplane no anomalies were noted. Fuel supplies were plumbed into the aircraft fuel system at both the left and right wing fuel tanks and both engines were started and run at various power settings. The investigation could not determine the reason for the power loss.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for WPR09LA177 for the full record.