Cessna 414 Chancellor

Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching Nassau Airport. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft collided with power lines and the ground shortly after takeoff during instrument conditions. The only evidence of a malfunction or failure which was found was the gyro for the pilot's attitude indicator which had no indication of rotation at impact. The previous pilot stated that he normally pulled the ac circuit breaker after landing, that the breaker supplied voltage to the pilot's attitude indicator, and that he told the new pilot of this procedure which was not on the aircraft's checklist. This was the new pilot's first instrument flight in this aircraft. The accident occurred in a residential area.

En route, the pilot informed ATC he was short of fuel and elected to divert to Maastricht Airport for an emergency landing. On final, he encountered poor visibility due to low clouds and fog and was forced to initiate a go-around. Few minutes later, while in a second attempt to land, the twin engine aircraft crashed few km from the airport. The pilot, sole on board, was killed. At the time of the accident, the visibility was below minimum as estimated between 300-400 meters in fog.

En route, the twin engine aircraft struck a mountain located in the Lechtaler Alpen, in the region of Landeck, Tyrol. SAR operations were initiated but the wreckage was found in July 1987 in an isolated area at an altitude of 2,000 meters. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The pilot stated that this was not a charter flight and, as such, he decided to attempt the loc 17 approach to Olathe even though the area was forecasting zero-zero conditions. According to the pilot, the last thing he remembers during the flight is bracketing the loc and reading 1,600 feet on the altimeter. Subsequently, the pilot further stated, he remembers being on the ground inside the wreckage, mitigating the injuries suffered and trying to stay warm. A post-accident invest revealed that the aircraft was to the left of the localizer course when it struck two trees 12 feet agl (1,062 feet msl), while in a 30° right bank. The aircraft made a flat 360 right pirouette over some small trees, tearing off the left wing before impacting the ground and sliding approximately 600 feet. A post-crash fire erupted from the right wing tank but it extinguished itself. A dot FAA operational flight test found the localizer to be within limits. A leak check of the aircraft static system and a bench check of both altimeters were satisfactory.

During the transition from a DME arc to the ILS final approach course, the pilot allowed the aircraft to prematurely descend into the ground. The reason for the descent could not be determined. However, no preimpact mechanical malfunction with the aircraft was found nor was there any evidence supporting pilot incapacitation. Dark night conditions in fog and low ceilings prevailed during the approach. All three occupants were injured, two seriously.

During takeoff ground run, at a speed of 95 knots, the pilot pulled the control wheel back to lift off. The control wheel, according to the pilot, would not go back more than about 2 inches; which is less than half the normal full aft travel. The aircraft reached a speed of about 105 knots and had traveled more than half of the runway length when the pilot aborted the takeoff. The pilot was unable to stop the aircraft on the runway. The aircraft went off the runway and subsequently collided with an occupied car that was on a nearby street. The investigation revealed the left side VOR indicator had loosened from its mounting clamp on the instrument panel and it was laying against the control wheel tube, behind the instrument panel, limiting the control wheel to 2.5 inches of rearward travel. The pilot stated that he removed the control lock before engine start and performed a flight control check before takeoff. All four occupants were injured while on person in the car hit by the aircraft was killed.

The aircraft impacted trees during a VOR approach and descended to ground impact. The pilot flew the approach with the autopilot coupled. The altitude hold and alert were set for the MDA. When visual contact with the airport environment was established, the pilot disconnected the altitude hold and began lowering full flaps. At this time the electric trim pitched the nose of the aircraft down and the aircraft impacted trees. Both occupants escaped unhurt.

The pilot was making a short (35 minutes) local flight to 'check N333AA over' before turning it over to its new owner. The aircraft collided with the ground in a steep descent, wings level, attitude during an entry into the traffic pattern at Billings, Montana. VMC prevailed at the time. Witnesses said the engines were operating and there was no apparent attempt by the pilot to avoid the crash. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The pilot was preparing to land to Frankfurt-Main Airport by night when the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in a wooded area located one km southeast of Obernburg am Main, some 45 km southeast of Frankfurt-Main Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.