Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III

The flight departed runway 25 at Greenlee County Airport, Clifton, AZ on a VFR flight to Deer Valley Airport, Phoenix, AZ. The pilot and ground witnesses reported that shortly after lift-off, grayish/white smoke emanated from the left engine. The pilot was unable to feather the propeller, circled the airport about 2 times at a low altitude and landed between the runways. The post crash investigation disclosed the fire originated in the vicinity of the left engine turbocharger. The turbocharger oil line housing was found fractured. The housing was missing when the engines were shipped to Teledyne Continental Motors (TCM). The engine crates were opened before safety board investigators arrived at TCM to conduct the engine examination. The left engine exam disclosed external high temp distress and minor detonation signatures.

The pilot landed downwind on his private strip. The exact amount of the tailwind could not be determined. A thunderstorm was located just to the east of the runway and could have readily given N448 a strong tailwind. The aircraft touched down 390 feet beyond the threshold. Light braking action was evident from that point up to a point 400 feet from a hangar where all tire marks disappeared. The aircraft collided with the hangar, which was built at the end of and across the runway, approximately 10 feet above the runway surface and was destroyed by the subsequent post crash fire. The passenger was seriously injured and the pilot was killed.

The pilot and three passengers were returning to Dallas, TX from a retreat in Montana. The pilot filed an IFR flight plan from White Sulphur Springs, MT, to Casper, WY, but did not activate it after departure. The aircraft was reported overdue by family and a search was initiated. The wreckage was located by the civil air patrol on 7/1/87. The aircraft had crashed at the 10,000 feet level of a box canyon area in mountainous terrain. The impact area was on a rolling meadow that was surrounded on three sides by mountains. Entrance to the area was from the north-northeast. There was evidence the aircraft impacted in a left wing low, nose low attitude, after turning to a heading of about 050°. Before takeoff, the pilot had added 35 gallons of fuel (mixture of 80 and 100 octane fuel) for an estimated fuel load of 213 gallons. No evidence was found of a preimpact mechanical failure or malfunction. Approximately 27 miles south-southeast of Cody, WY, the weather was in part: 18,000 feet scattered, 25,000 feet overcast, 30 miles visibility. The elevation at Cody was about 5,000 feet lower than the crash site. All four occupants were killed.

En route, the right engine failed. The pilot was unable to feather the propeller and the aircraft lost height until it crashed on the slope of a mountain located west of Wada, in the prefecture of Nagano. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

Pilot was attempting the VOR-B instrument approach to Butte, MT Airport. Pilot reported over the Coppertown vortac inbound on the airport. The procedure turn inbound course to the vortac is 124°. The inbound course to the airport is 094°. The aircraft wreckage was found on the 124° radial 5 miles southwest of the airport. The wind was reported to be 340° at 9 knots. The VOR-B approach terminates at runway 11. Runway 33 is 9,000 feet long and equipped with mirl's and reil's. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

After dropping company executives off at Medford, the pilot was to return to Santa Rosa empty. Witnesses along the 25 nm valley which ends at the accident site reported that the aircraft buzzed their locations at agl altitudes variously described as '10 feet' and 'so low you could count the rivets.' US forest services personnel near the accident site reported that the aircraft flew over their position 'just above the trees' following the slope of the mountain upward. The accident site is on a popular hiking trail the pilot's girlfriend reportedly said she would like to visit. On site examination revealed that the aircraft first contacted the upper 5 feet of the treetops in a climb attitude. No preimpact failures of the acft were identified. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 15, while climbing to a height of about 800 feet, the twin engine entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a grassy area located past the runway end. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

At rotation the right engine failed. The aircraft entered a skidding turn to the right and continued to climb to about 100 feet agl. During the turn 110° from takeoff. Heading aircraft rolled inverted and descended into a car port. Extensive post impact fire destroyed aircraft, car port and three vehicles. Gear was not retracted and propellers was not feathered. During post accident exam of the right engine extensive internal damage was found. Both occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft was approaching Dortmund-Wickede Airport in poor visibility due to the night and rain falls. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft crashed into a school located in the city of Wickede, about one km north of the airport. All four occupants were killed while there were no injuries on the ground.

On final approach to Deauville-Saint-Gatien Airport, the twin engine airplane struck the ground and crashed in a field short of runway. Both wings were torn off and the aircraft was destroyed. There were no casualties.