Cessna 411

Few minutes after takeoff from Guadalajara-Miguel Hidalgo y Costilla Airport, the crew informed ATC about technical problems and elected to make an emergency landing. While approaching a pasture, the twin engine airplane collided with a powerline and crashed, bursting into flames. Both pilots and two cows in the field were killed, and all four passengers were seriously injured (burns). Three days later, one of the survivor died from his injuries.

The pilot purchased the multiengine airplane about 18 months prior to the accident, and was conducting his first flight in the airplane, as he flew it from Georgia to Massachusetts. While en route, the airplane experienced a failure of the left engine. The airplane began maneuvering near an airport, as its groundspeed decreased from 173 miles per hour (mph) to 90 mph, 13 mph below the minimum single engine control speed. A witness reported that the airplane appeared to be attempting to land, when it banked to the left, and descended to the ground. The airplane impacted on a road, about 3 miles east-southeast of the airport. A 3-inch, by 2.5- inch hole was observed on the top of the left engine crankcase, and streaks of oil were present on the left gear door, left flap, and the left side of the fuselage. The number two connecting rod was fractured and heat distressed. The number 2 piston assembly was seized in the cylinder barrel. The airplane had been operated about 30 hours, during the 6 years prior to the accident, and it had not been flown since its most recent annual inspection, which was performed about 16 months prior to the accident. In addition, both engines were being operated beyond the manufacturer's recommended time between overhaul limits. The pilot did not possess a multiengine airplane rating. He attended an airplane type specific training course about 20 months prior to the accident. At that time, he reported 452 hours of total flight experience, with 0 hours of multiengine flight experience.

The twin engine departed Tijuana Airport at 0800LT on a flight to Guaymas with two pilots on board. On approach, the aircraft impacted a wooded mountain located 32 km short of runway. Both occupants were killed.

The multiengine airplane impacted terrain shortly after departing from the airport. The airplane began the initial climb after liftoff and initially maintained a track along the extended runway centerline. Witnesses indicated that about 1 mile into the initial climb, the aircraft began to make erratic yawing maneuvers and the engines began to emit smoke. The airplane rolled to the left and dove toward the ground, erupting into fire upon impact. Prior to the accident, the pilot had reportedly been having mechanical problems with the fuel tank bladder installations and had attempted to install new ones. He was performing his own maintenance on the airplane in an attempt to rectify the problem. The day before the accident, the pilot told his hangar mate that he took the airplane on a test flight and experienced mechanical problems with an engine. Neither the nature of the engine problems nor the actions to resolve the discrepancies could be determined. On site examination of the thermally destroyed wreckage disclosed evidence consistent with the right engine producing significantly more power than the left engine at ground impact. The extent of the thermal destruction precluded any determination regarding the fuel selector positions, the positions for the boost pump switches, or the fuel tanks/lines.

The pilot lost control of his twin engine airplane and collided with terrain while returning to the departure airport after reporting an engine problem. Shortly after takeoff, about 4,000 feet msl, the pilot reported to ATC that he had an engine problem and would return to the airport. The radar plot reveals a steady descent of the airplane from 4,000 feet msl to the accident site, approximately 2 miles from the designated airport. Ground witnesses reported that they saw the airplane flying very low, about 500 feet agl, seconds prior to the accident apparently heading toward the departure airport. The witnesses reported consistent observations of the airplane "wobbling," then going into a steep knife-edge left bank before it dove into the ground. Witnesses at the airport said that the pilot sought out help in getting his radios operating prior to takeoff, telling the witness, "it's been four and a half months since I've been in an airplane, I can't even figure out how to put the radios back in." No fueling records were found for the airplane at the departure airport. The last documented fueling of the airplane was on October 31, 2002, with the addition of 56.2 gallons. Witnesses reported that the airplane did not take on any fuel immediately prior to the flight on May 4th. The flight was the first flight since the airplane received its annual inspection 2 months prior to the accident, and, it was the pilot's first flight after 4 months of inactivity. It is a common practice for maintenance personnel to pull the landing light circuit breakers during maintenance to prevent the fuel transfer pumps, which are wired through the landing light system, from operating continuously. The fuel transfer pumps move fuel from the forward part of the main fuel tank to the center baffle area where it is picked up and routed to the engine. It is conceivable that these circuit breakers were not reset by the pilot for this flight. Wreckage examination revealed a post accident fire on the right wing of the airplane and no fire on the left wing. Additionally, only a small amount of fuel was identified around the left wing tanks after the accident, and no hydraulic deformation was observed to the left main tank or the internal baffles. The landing gear bellcrank indicates that the landing gear was in the down position. The engine and propeller post impact signatures indicate that the left engine was operating at a low power setting (wind milling), while the right engine and propeller indicate a high power setting. Disassembly and inspection of the internal propeller hub components showed that the left propeller was not feathered. The left engine is the critical engine and loss of power in that engine would make directional control more difficult at slower speeds. The airplane owners manual states that "climb or continued level flight at a moderate altitude is improbable with the landing gear extended or the propeller windmilling." The single engine flight procedure delineated in the manual dictates a higher than normal altitude for a successful single engine landing approach.

After takeoff from Uyuni-La Joya Andina Airport, while climbing, the crew encountered engine problems. They attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed near Colchani, about 16 km north of the airport. A pilot was killed while four other occupants were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

The airplane impacted the terrain following a loss of control during a takeoff initial climb. A witness stated the airplane was noisier than what he is used to hearing. This witness reported the airplane was in a steep left bank in a level pitch attitude. The airplane then began to descent rapidly as it turned to a northerly heading. The witness reported the airplane then seemed to enter a right bank prior to impacting the ground. Another witness reported what sounded like an engine backfire. The pilot reported the airplane lost power. Torsional twisting was visible on the propeller blades following the accident. Following the accident, the undamaged emergency exit from the airplane was found next to the runway. The latching mechanism on the exit was not damaged and the pins were not found with the exit. It was reported that the airplane had sat on the ramp at the departure airport for at least 15 years without being flown. Although the registration for the airplane had not been changed, the pilot reportedly purchased it shortly before the accident. The pilot did not hold a multi-engine rating.

Pilot stated left engine lost power followed by the right engine. He initiated a left turn back to the airport but did not shutdown engines in accordance with emergency procedures. The acft yawed left and fell off on the left wing as if it had stalled. He regained partial control and aimed for a street. Acft hit roof of house while in right bank and then cartwheeled across the street. Left engine was found to have severe detonation damage and the turbocharger waste gate door was missing antivibration spring. The pin connecting the door and actuator was failed. Evidence indicated pin had failed prior to accident flight. Soot inside left wastegate indicated door had been fully closed for sometime. No evidence to indicate failure or malfunction of the right engine was found and right propeller showed damage indicative of rotation under power at ground impact.

The aircraft had recently been returned to service after 5 years in storage. On this flight, it was being used to transport two political candidates on their campaign itinerary. During takeoff from runway 03, the right engine lost power on the initial climb and the aircraft descended and crashed about 2 miles southeast of the airport. The pilot did not complete the emergency procedure for an engine failure. There was evidence that he did not feather the propeller, did not bank into the good engine, and did not close the cowl flaps on the inoperative engine. An exam of the right engine disclosed overheating and erosion of the #1 & #4 pistons, which resulted in holes in the top edges of the pistons. Also, there were clogged fuel injectors, contamination and corrosion of the fuel injector pump, and contamination and partial obstruction of the manifold valve. Additionally, the absolute pressure control of the turbocharger was found to be incorrectly adjusted. The pilot's medical certificate was dated 8/13/86.