Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III

The twin engine airplane departed River Falls Airport shortly after 2100LT on a private flight to New Braunfels, carrying four passengers and one pilot. About an hour into the flight, the pilot was forced to modify his heading because of weather. Approaching the destination, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and erratic values were noted with the aircraft' speed, heading and altitude. Eventually, he dove into the ground and crashed in a relative flat attitude in a wooded area located in Wimberley, bursting into flames. The wreckage was found about 30 km north of New Braunfels Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all five occupants were killed. Weather in the area consisted with thunderstorm activity and rain.

After takeoff from runway 25 at Troutdale Airport, the twin engine airplane climbed to an altitude of 1,700 feet when the pilot was contacted by ATC about the fact that his altitude was well above the VFR altitude restrictions for the Gresham-Troutdale area. The pilot reported handling problem when the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed onto a house located in Fairview, about two km southwest from runway 07 threshold, bursting into flames. Both occupants as well as one people in the house were killed. The airplane was en route to Saint George, Utah.

The privately registered Cessna 421C aircraft was conducting a recreational instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Tofino-Long Beach Airport (CYAZ), British Columbia (BC), to Portland International Airport (KPDX), Oregon, United States, carrying one pilot and two passengers. The aircraft departed runway 16 at approximately 1242LT. Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft occupants observed flames coming from the top of the right engine cowling. The aircraft turned east, joined the left downwind leg for runway 25, and levelled off at approximately 320 feet above ground level (AGL). The aircraft subsequently performed a descending steep turn toward the threshold of runway 25 but overshot the runway centreline to the north. During this turn, the aircraft’s rate of descent increased significantly. At 1243LT, approximately one minute after takeoff, the aircraft impacted the ground north of runway 25 in a wings-level attitude with the landing gear extended and the flaps partially extended. The initial point of impact was approximately 206 feet past the runway threshold and 157 feet north of the paved surface of runway 25. Post impact, the main landing gear separated from the aircraft while the aircraft travelled approximately 450 feet along the ground before coming to rest. When the aircraft was at approximately the mid-point of the distance travelled on the ground, it caught fire. One passenger received serious injuries but was able to exit the aircraft. The pilot and the 2nd passenger were fatally injured. The aircraft was destroyed by the post-impact fire. The Canadian Mission Control Centre did not receive an emergency locator transmitter (ELT) signal from the aircraft.

While enroute to the destination airport, the pilot reported a “cylinder temperature issue” to air traffic control (ATC) and the pilot diverted to another airport for a visual approach. The pilot overflew the airport and requested vectors for another visual approach. He then requested vectors to divert to an airport to the east before he informed air traffic control that the left engine lost power, and he received vectors back to the airport for a visual approach. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to land on runway 14, but for an unknown reason he decided to land on runway 32 instead. A pilot-rated witness reported that he observed the airplane while it was on the base to final turn for runway 32. He reported that the airplane’s wings leveled momentarily before it made a 60° left-bank turn and then entered a stall/spin in a counterclockwise rotation. The airplane impacted a trailer park about 0.38 miles from the approach end of runway 32. A postimpact fire ensued and destroyed the airplane. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and the right engine did not detect any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the left engine found that the starter adapter spline was worn, with broken teeth on its crankshaft gear. The crankshaft gear remained properly timed with the crankshaft cluster gear, the investigation could not determine if the idler gear, which drives the magnetos, slipped timing. Mistiming of the magnetos could result in abnormal cylinder head temperature(s). In addition, there was improper hardware securing the cylinder No. 6 intake valve, which might have altered performance of that valve. Due to thermal damage, testing of the ignition and fuel systems could not be accomplished. Evidence of detonation was observed on the left engine’s piston heads. The installed engine data monitor was destroyed by the postimpact fire and did not provide further details as to the operational condition of the engine before the accident. Inspection of the starter adapter assembly is required annually by airworthiness directive and was accomplished on the most recent annual inspection. The airplane had flown about 5.5 hours since the inspection.

The airplane was operated on an ambulance flight from Valledupar to Bogotá-Guaymaral Airport, carrying six people, a mother and son, a doctor, a nurse and two pilots. After takeoff from runway 02/20, the airplane reached the altitude of 50 metres then stalled and crashed near trees, bursting into flames. Five occupants were injured and the doctor was killed. The airplane was destroyed by a post crash fire.