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Bruce,
You ask some good questions. The bottom line is that Skymasters do not have a better safety record than other light twins. It is not a panacea.
Why?
The majority of accidents come from two causes: fuel exhaustion and continued VFR into IMC. Centerline thrust does solve that. Skymaster pilots get in trouble in these areas just as much as others. But notice, you will not see VMC roll as the cause for an accident in a Skymaster - as is sometimes the situation in conventional twins.
Remember also, that virtually all light twins are seriously anemic with one engine out. This means that if you lose an engine on takeoff, you're looking at 200 or 300 fpm climb rates in standard conditions (as benchmarked with a new airplane). If you're already at altitude - and engine out is not a problem, but on takeoff an engine out is a serious problem. The Skymaster at least does not compound this with a control problem (asymmetric thrust)..
How often do engines fail? We all have anecdotal evidence. I remember an instructor trying to reassure me in a 172: “These engines never fail. I’ve been flying for 3,500 hours and I’ve only had one engine failure.” That was not very reassuring. Consider the simple statistics: with 2 engines, you’re twice as likely to have an engine failure. However, the chances of having both engines fail is several orders of magnitude less than a single losing it’s one and only engine. Over water – I’d certainly like that advantage. Of course, remember there is the very real possibility that what kills one engine will kill them both (bad fuel, ice, lack of fuel, etc.)
You have to start with the decision: single vs. twin? If you have made the decision to go twin, then you have to weigh just how much does the asymmetric thrust/VMC issue concern you? I think you’ll find that people on this board are very concerned with that – and as a result are fanatical believers in the Skymaster.
If you haven’t taken your multi engine training yet, that will be a good learning experience. Virtually all of the training deals with the asymmetric thrust problem. Get your ME rating and see how much the asymmetric thrust scares you. I have around 100 hours in the Cessna 400 series planes and prior to each take-off I rehearse what’s going to happen if I lose an engine. I look over my shoulder at the unsuspecting passengers who have no idea that I’m thinking about the fiery crash that possibly lies ahead. In the Skymaster I know I can control the plane with an engine out – if I am unable to climb, if there is some flat terrain ahead, I can definitely set the plane down safely.
The question is what demons make you lose sleep? If it’s asymmetric thrust, the Skymaster is the answer. Flying's no fun when you're worrying.
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