North Platte

The single engine airplane departed Lincoln on a flight to North Platte, Nebraska. While approaching North Platte-Lee Bird Airport Runway 30 in poor weather conditions, the aircraft went out of control and crashed on the shore of a small lake, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and the wreckage was found 6 km from the runway threshold. Both occupants were killed. At the time of the accident, visibility was limited due to freezing rain.

The turbojet airplane was destroyed during a forced landing and post accident fire after a loss of power in both engines during takeoff climb. The pilot reported that both engines operated
normally during taxi and pre-takeoff checks. He reported that, "We rotated positive rate gear up, V2 plus 30 flaps up, and at that point we struck birds taking No. 2 engine out. Upon losing No. 2 engine I advanced thrust levers forward and realized that the No. 1 engine was only producing approximately 70% RPM with EGT over read line." He executed a forced landing to a field and the crew and passengers evacuated the burning airplane. The copilot reported, "At approximately 500 to 1,000 ft. above ground level, I observed a large flock of birds straight ahead of us, and then passing just off our nose to the left side. I immediately heard an engine flameout. As I started to go to the checklist for single engine operations, I quickly realized that we were loosing airspeed and unable to maintain altitude. The PIC said we were going down and heading for the best emergency-landing stop." The Cockpit Voice Recorder (CVR) recorded the pilot stating, "We hit a bird," and the copilot stating, "Yep," immediately following the CVR recording a "sound similar to decrease in engine RPM." The inspection of the airplane's fuel system, pneumatic system, engines, fuel controls and fuel pumps revealed no pre-impact anomaly. No physical evidence of bird ingestion was found in either engine. A CVR sound spectrum plot and a flight profile analysis revealed that one engine flamed out almost immediately after the sound of a "thump" on the CVR. The other engine's speed decreased and experienced stalls until the engine speed was reduced to flight idle. The original engine certification tests indicated that compressor stalls occurred when a 2-4 ounce starling was shot ingested into the engine, but physical damage from bird ingestion was very slight due to the all steel construction and geometry of the engine. Engine flameouts, however, were not recorded during the certification tests. A wildlife specialist conducted a bird count at the accident airport two days after the accident occurred, and he reported counting a flock of about 800 European Starlings.

The airplane had just taken off and was at approximately 300 agl when the right engine 'had a sudden and catastrophic failure.' The right propeller stopped spinning with the blades in the low-pitch position. The pilot initiated a right turn back toward the airport, but the airplane would not maintain altitude. The pilot rolled out of the turn, but the descent continued until the airplane struck the trees. Examination of the airplane's right engine revealed that the crankshaft was broken at the number 3 short cheek, just forward of the number two cylinder piston rod. The number two crankshaft bearing was broken and melted. The oil feed line to the number two bearing was blocked by a piece of the broken bearing. The Single Engine Climb Data table in the Cessna 414 Pilot's Operating Handbook indicates that an airplane weighing 5,680 pounds, with gear and flaps retracted and the inoperative propeller in feather, operating at a density altitude of 5,055 feet, will have a best climb indicated airspeed of 115 knots. The rate of climb will be 308 feet per minute.

About 2 hours after departure, at 13,000 feet, the right engine fuel flow went to zero. The engine continued to operate indicating 24 inches of manifold pressure. All other instruments were normal but what looked like a brown stain developed on top of the right wing along the spar cap near the tip tank. Artcc was advised that a precautionary landing would be made at Raton and a rapid descent was begun. On final the right engine nacelle and wing locker turned brown. As the aircraft landed flames appeared on the right side of the fuselage and smoke entered the cabin. Both engines were secured and brakes applied. The brakes were inoperative therefore, the pilot steered the aircraft off the runway into a snowbank collapsing the nose gear. Within 15 mins most of the wreckage was consumed by the fire. Ignition source and fire origination point were not determined. All three occupants escaped uninjured.

While in cruising altitude on a flight from Lander to North Platte, Nebraska, the pilot encountered icing conditions. The airplane entered an uncontrolled descent then crashed in a field, bursting into flames. All five occupants were killed.

Shortly after a night takeoff from North Platte-Lee Bird Airport, while in initial climb, both engines failed simultaneously. The pilot informed ground about his situation and decided to return to the airport for an emergency landing. Few second later, he realized he could not make it so he ditched the airplane into lake Maloney located 7 miles southwest of the airport. While the aircraft was destroyed, the pilot was seriously injured.

While on a mail flight from North Platte to Cheyenne, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions when the aircraft crashed in a mountainous area. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.