Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in Belton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 1981 at 1125 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Registration:
N6810N
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Test
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
Wichita - Wichita
MSN:
404-0853
YOM:
1981
Location:
Belton
Missouri
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
6500
Captain / Total hours on type:
500.00
Circumstances:
The pilot, sole on board, departed Wichita on a test flight. En route, the twin engine airplane entered a steep descending turn then crashed in a field located in Belton, south of Kansas City, Missouri. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent and subsequent crash due to pilot incapacitation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Moderate obese pilot,
- High blood pressure,
- Witnesses reported pilo looked tired,
- Speech slurred.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in Gowers Corner: 1 killed

Date & Time: Oct 30, 1980 at 2245 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Cosmopolitan Broadcasting Corporation
Registration:
N37093
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Carata - Gowers Corner
MSN:
404-0103
YOM:
1977
Location:
Gowers Corner
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
2000
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Circumstances:
On approach to Gowers Corner while on an illegal flight from Carata, Colombia, an engine failed. The pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed in a pasture. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.
Probable cause:
Engine failure and subsequent stall and crash on approach for undetermined reasons. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Inadequate preflight preparation,
- Improperly loaded aircraft,
- Unwarranted low flying,
- Pilot fatigue,
- Stolen aircraft,
- Rain falls,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Complete engine failure,
- Weather conditions below minimums,
- 304 lbs over max landing weight,
- Documents in aircraft indicate pilot flew over 16 hours since takeoff at 0544.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan near Fort White: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 30, 1980 at 2315 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
First Interamerica Corporation
Registration:
N37097
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
No
Site:
Plain, Valley
Schedule:
La Guajira - Fort White
MSN:
404-0105
YOM:
1977
Location:
Fort White
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1000
Captain / Total hours on type:
50.00
Circumstances:
While on an illegal flight from Colombia, carrying a load of cocaine, the pilot attempted to land in a rural area near Fort White when the airplane struck trees and crashed in an isolated zone. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Collision with trees during a low pass after the pilot misjudged altitude. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Physical impairment,
- Pilot fatigue,
- Cocaine paste on board,
- Pilot's toxicology showed cocaine, methaqualone blood, urine.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan II in Grand Canyon: 8 killed

Date & Time: Jul 21, 1980 at 1702 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Registration:
N2683S
Flight Phase:
Takeoff (climb)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Grand Canyon - Phoenix
MSN:
404-0606
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
YR306
Location:
Grand Canyon
Arizona
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
8
Captain / Total flying hours:
2474
Captain / Total hours on type:
323.00
Aircraft flight hours:
718
Circumstances:
At 1702, Scenic Airlines flight 306, a Cessna 404, VFR commuter flight to Phoenix, crashed approximately three miles south of runway 21 after takeoff from the Grand Canyon National Park Airport. The aircraft cut a swath through a densely wooded area on a magnetic heading of 165° and came to rest upright about 230 feet from the initial point of impact with trees. Impact forces and an intense fire destroyed the aircraft. The pilot and six of the seven passengers were killed in the accident. One passenger survived the accident but died five days later as a result of thermal injuries.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of the accident was a substantial loss of power from the left engine at a critical point in the takeoff an the failure of the pilot to establish a minimum drag configuration which degraded the marginal single-engine climb performance of the aircraft. The loss of power resulted from the seizure of the turbocharger following a progressive failure of the turbine wheel blades initiated by foreign object ingestion which had occurred previous to this flight and was not detected during maintenance on the engine 4 days before the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in New Orleans: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1980 at 2332 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Faraday Industries
Registration:
N5237J
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Schedule:
Las Vegas - New Orleans - Mobile
MSN:
404-0619
YOM:
1979
Location:
New Orleans-Louis Armstrong (Moisant)
Louisiana
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to New Orleans-Moisant Airport, both engines failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed few miles from the airport. The passenger was seriously injured and the pilot was killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure, stall and subsequent crash on final approach due to an inadequate preflight preparation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Improper in-flight decisions or planning,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Complete failure of both engines.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in Dade-Collier

Date & Time: Apr 25, 1980 at 0430 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Registration:
N3994C
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
404-0021
YOM:
1976
Location:
Dade-Collier
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The twin engine airplane was engaged in an illegal flight, carrying a load of marijuana. While flying at low height by night in the vicinity of Dade-Collier Airport, the airplane struck trees and crashed. The passenger was seriously injured and the pilot disappeared and was not found.
Probable cause:
Collision with trees by night for unknown reasons. Illegal flight.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan II in Leeds-Bradford

Date & Time: Feb 4, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Registration:
G-WING
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Ferry
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
404-0442
YOM:
1979
Location:
Leeds-Bradford
West Yorkshire
Country:
United Kingdom
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The pilot was completing a ferry flight to Leeds-Bradford Airport so the airplane could be taken by Northair Aviation for a 50 hour maintenance check. On approach, the pilot encountered very bad weather conditions with strong winds and heavy rain falls. The airplane was unstable and landed too far down the runway. After touchdown, it was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran, struck a fence and eventually came to rest on a road. The pilot was injured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Due to poor weather, all other flights were diverted to other airport.

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan II in Nantes

Date & Time: Jan 29, 1980
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Airsprinter
Registration:
PH-JAL
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Executive/Corporate/Business
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
MSN:
404-0218
YOM:
1978
Location:
Nantes-Atlantique (Château Bougon)
Loire-Atlantique
Country:
France
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
6
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
On final approach to Nantes-Château Bougon Airport, the twin engine airplane crashed in a cemetery located about 2 km short of runway 03, in Saint-Aignan-de-Grand-Lieu. All eight occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan near Fort Lauderdale: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1979 at 1945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 404 Titan
Operator:
Ambergate
Registration:
N88696
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Illegal (smuggling)
Survivors:
Yes
Site:
Plain, Valley
MSN:
404-0228
YOM:
1978
Location:
Fort Lauderdale
Florida
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1927
Circumstances:
The crew was completing a drug smuggling flight in Florida. While flying by night at low height in the region of Fort Lauderdale, the twin engine airplane struck an electric tower, lost height and crashed in a field. The captain was not apprehended while the copilot was killed in the accident.
Probable cause:
Collision with electric tower after the crew failed to see and avoid objects or obstructions. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Aircraft stolen,
- Unwarranted low flying,
- Aircraft was hauling marijuana,
- Cocaine found in copilot's blood.
Final Report:
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