PA-23 Aztec

"Kai Glaesner" wrote
Can you tell us about this? I (as any prospective airplane buyer at some
time, I presume) am thinking about buying a twin, too. But reading through
some books and magazines I wonder if a twin is really worth the xtra cost&
hassle...

There I was, flying along IFR at 8000, close to full gross, VMC but
500 ft above an overcast layer - with the hills of Arkansas
underneath. That's when my engine decided to take a dump. Power fell
way off, and it shook like a wet dog. We figured out later what
happened. A steel component in the fuel servo rusted, and dumped rust
into the injectors. Two of them plugged up.

I brought the power back to where the vibration wasn't too bad
(meaning I wasn't afraid it would shake itself loose), but that was a
low power setting - maybe 15% power. I played with mixture and
throttle trying to clear it, but nothing doing. Any more power, and
the engine vibration was really bad - bad enough that I expected it to
break off the mounts.

Now, pick one:

I descended through the overcast, broke out a few hundred feet above
trees and hills, and crashed into the terrain.

Or:

I brought the other engine up to maximum available power and continued
on to a VFR airport.

THAT is what a twin does for you.

Michael