Crash of a Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III in Tofino: 2 killed

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.