A PA23-250 in cruise at 6000 ft declared an emergency due right engine failure. Restarted several ti...

Attributes
ACN	718464
Time
Date	200611
Local Time Of Day	0601 To 1200
Place
Locale Reference	airport : zzz.airport
State Reference	US
Altitude	msl single value : 4000
Environment
Flight Conditions	IMC VMC
Weather Elements	Ice Snow
Light	Daylight
Aircraft 1
Controlling Facilities	tracon : zzz.tracon
Operator	common carrier : air taxi
Make Model Name	PA-23-250 Aztec
Operating Under FAR Part	Part 135
Flight Plan	IFR
Aircraft 2
Flight Phase	cruise : level
Route In Use	enroute : on vectors
Person 1
Affiliation	company : air taxi
Function	flight crew : single pilot
Qualification	pilot : atp pilot : multi engine pilot : cfi
Experience	flight time last 90 days : 170 flight time total : 1870 flight time type : 600
ASRS Report	718464
Person 2
Affiliation	government : faa
Function	controller : approach
Events
Anomaly	aircraft equipment problem : critical inflight encounter : weather
Independent Detector	aircraft equipment other aircraft equipment : engine l&r fuel flow indicators other flight crewa
Resolutory Action	flight crew : landed in emergency condition flight crew : declared emergency
Supplementary
Problem Areas	Weather Aircraft
Primary Problem	Weather

Narrative:

I was getting radar vectors for ILS runway 35R to ZZZ at cruising altitude of 6000 ft MSL; right engine started running rough. As soon as right engine stopped working; I requested 4000 ft MSL. After I did all the troubleshooting in checklists; I decided to feather the right propeller. A few mins later; I was able to restart the right engine. However; the right engine died again. I restarted right engine a few times. Finally; I committed to shoot the ILS runway 35R approach to ZZZ with right propeller in feathered position. At this time; I made radio communication to approach that my right engine failed. Within 5 mins; and the right engine secured; I saw left fuel flow gauge was going down lower and lower. Before left engine stopped working; I switched fuel selector from outboard to inboard; fuel pump on; mixture full rich; alternate air open; etc. However; as I guessed; left engine stopped working. There was nothing more I could do. I told approach controller 'left engine is dead; both engines are dead.' of course; the airplane was going down just like a rock. In the end; I was lucky enough to find the perfect precautionary/emergency landing spot in a field after breaking from the ceiling of 1200 ft AGL and visibility of 1 SM. I did every single emergency procedure like I was taught from my chief pilot. I made the landing on the grass field at approximately 14.0 NM on 034 degree radial from TACAN. I didn't get any injuries; nor airplane distressed. In conclusion; I am submitting this report regarding to deviation from far IFR flight rule as well as making precautionary/emergency landing. Callback conversation with reporter revealed the following information: the emergency procedures were followed as were taught by the chief pilot and resulted in no injuries or aircraft damage. The maintenance experts that checked the airplane at the landing field had a lot of guesses but mainly concluded the fuel tank vents iced up stopping fuel flow to the engines.

Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: A PA23-250 IN CRUISE AT 6000 FT DECLARED AN EMER DUE R ENG FAILURE. RESTARTED SEVERAL TIMES. IN DSCNT AT 4000 FT THE L ENG FAILED. LANDED OFF FIELD. NO DAMAGE OR INJURIES INCURRED.

Narrative: I WAS GETTING RADAR VECTORS FOR ILS RWY 35R TO ZZZ AT CRUISING ALT OF 6000 FT MSL; R ENG STARTED RUNNING ROUGH. AS SOON AS R ENG STOPPED WORKING; I REQUESTED 4000 FT MSL. AFTER I DID ALL THE TROUBLESHOOTING IN CHKLISTS; I DECIDED TO FEATHER THE R PROP. A FEW MINS LATER; I WAS ABLE TO RESTART THE R ENG. HOWEVER; THE R ENG DIED AGAIN. I RESTARTED R ENG A FEW TIMES. FINALLY; I COMMITTED TO SHOOT THE ILS RWY 35R APCH TO ZZZ WITH R PROP IN FEATHERED POS. AT THIS TIME; I MADE RADIO COM TO APCH THAT MY R ENG FAILED. WITHIN 5 MINS; AND THE R ENG SECURED; I SAW L FUEL FLOW GAUGE WAS GOING DOWN LOWER AND LOWER. BEFORE L ENG STOPPED WORKING; I SWITCHED FUEL SELECTOR FROM OUTBOARD TO INBOARD; FUEL PUMP ON; MIXTURE FULL RICH; ALTERNATE AIR OPEN; ETC. HOWEVER; AS I GUESSED; L ENG STOPPED WORKING. THERE WAS NOTHING MORE I COULD DO. I TOLD APCH CTLR 'L ENG IS DEAD; BOTH ENGS ARE DEAD.' OF COURSE; THE AIRPLANE WAS GOING DOWN JUST LIKE A ROCK. IN THE END; I WAS LUCKY ENOUGH TO FIND THE PERFECT PRECAUTIONARY/EMER LNDG SPOT IN A FIELD AFTER BREAKING FROM THE CEILING OF 1200 FT AGL AND VISIBILITY OF 1 SM. I DID EVERY SINGLE EMER PROC LIKE I WAS TAUGHT FROM MY CHIEF PLT. I MADE THE LNDG ON THE GRASS FIELD AT APPROX 14.0 NM ON 034 DEG RADIAL FROM TACAN. I DIDN'T GET ANY INJURIES; NOR AIRPLANE DISTRESSED. IN CONCLUSION; I AM SUBMITTING THIS RPT REGARDING TO DEV FROM FAR IFR FLT RULE AS WELL AS MAKING PRECAUTIONARY/EMER LNDG. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE EMER PROCS WERE FOLLOWED AS WERE TAUGHT BY THE CHIEF PLT AND RESULTED IN NO INJURIES OR ACFT DAMAGE. THE MAINT EXPERTS THAT CHKED THE AIRPLANE AT THE LNDG FIELD HAD A LOT OF GUESSES BUT MAINLY CONCLUDED THE FUEL TANK VENTS ICED UP STOPPING FUEL FLOW TO THE ENGS.

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of January 2009 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.

A PA23-250 in cruise at 6000 ft declared an emergency due right engine failure. Restarted several times. In descent at 4000 ft the left engine failed. Landed off field. No damage or injuries incurred.