My opinion is , if the engine on a single quits at night over terrain, the only place I m going is down and I hope to get everything right the first time so that my crew and passenger(who is probably unconscious anyway--in an EMS scenario) and, most importantly, I ,can walk away.In a twin if an engine quits under the same circumstances all I am looking for is the friendly flash of an airport beacon.A no brainer as to what I would rather fly.
The defenders of the single engine concept are partially right.They are simple to maintain and less complicated.But that stems from an ENGINEER'S point of view, which, as we know, is always at odds with the pilot's.
Secondly,I am not sure all those who loudly proclaim that there is no "scientific" way to prove one way or another that singles are okay, are not bottom line driven and pro-operator advocates.
Finally, would any of these gentlemen(including members of the NTSB) send their families on a trip over the Amazon in a single engine airplane?
Alt 3.