Cessna 421C Golden Eagle III

The aircraft suffered a double engine failure and the pilot attempted to ditch the aircraft off Rhodes. All occupants were rescued while the aircraft sank and was lost.

About 50 minutes into the flight, the aircraft returned to Humberside circuit and was cleared by ATC for a touch-and-go landing on Runway 21. The landing was firm but otherwise uneventful and witnesses heard the power being applied as it accelerated for takeoff. Just before rotation two large "puffs of smoke" were seen to come from the vicinity of the mainwheels as both propellers struck the runway. The aircraft then lifted off and almost immediately began to yaw and roll to the left. The left bank reached an estimated maximum of 90° but reduced just before the left wing tip struck the ground. The aircraft then cartwheeled across the grass to the south of the runway and burst into flames. The owner in the left pilot's seat and the pilot in the right pilot's seat escaped from the wreckage, but the flight examiner, who was occupying a seat in the passenger cabin, was unable to vacate the aircraft and subsequently died of injuries sustained in the post impact fire. An engineering investigation found no fault with the aircraft that might have caused the accident. The investigation concluded that the most probable cause was an inadvertent retraction of the landing gear whilst the aircraft was still on the ground.

Prior to departing on the first leg of the flight, the dispatcher advised the pilot that he needed him to check the weather. After advising the pilot that he would be flying an additional leg, the
dispatcher again advised the pilot that he needed him to check the weather, which the pilot did, as observed by the dispatcher. After reaching 14,500 feet at 2028 the pilot contacted Albuquerque Approach Control, advising the controller that he had information "Yankee" and was requesting a lower altitude. The controller instructed the pilot to proceed via his own navigation and to descend at pilot's discretion. The pilot replied "Roger." From 2034 to 2041 the controller made four attempts to contact the pilot, each without success. At 2039 and 2042 the controller asked two other aircraft in the area to try establishing radio communication with the pilot; neither were successful. At 2033:19 the last radar return with altitude information was received from the aircraft, with a reported altitude of 10,200 feet MSL. A primary radar contact, with no transponder or altitude information, was received at 2033:32, 2.2 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, putting it on a straight line between the last radar contact and destination airport. The accident site was located at the 9,012 foot level of a mountain range, 19 nautical miles southeast of the destination airport. Post-accident examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engines which would have prevented normal operations. At 1956, the weather observation facility located at the destination airport reported a few clouds at 800 feet, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, and overcast clouds at 4,200 feet. The remarks section stated rain ended at 35 minutes past the hour, and mountains obscured northeast to southeast. At 2024, the same weather facility reported scattered clouds at 600 feet and overcast clouds at 4,200 feet.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a flight from Hamburg to Westerland. At a distance of 30 km southeast from Westerland-Sylt Airport, at an altitude of 1,300 feet, the pilot was cleared for an approach to runway 24. Few seconds later, both engines lost power. The pilot declared an emergency and was cleared for a straight-in approach to runway 33. Due to the situation, the pilot attempted to ditch the aircraft two km offshore. Rescue teams arrived on site about 45 minutes later and the pilot was rescued while the aircraft sank. The pilot added 250 litres of fuel at Hamburg Airport and a total of about 400 litres were found in all tanks after the wreckage was recovered, dismissing the possibility of a fuel exhaustion. Traces of corrosion were found on several engine parts.

On final approach to Nassau-Lynden Pindling Airport, the crew encountered engine problems. The aircraft lost height and crashed in the Lake Killarney near the airport. All five occupants were rescued while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Approximately 8 months prior to the accident, during a cross country flight, the owner shutdown the left engine due to low oil pressure and diverted from his intended destination to a nearby airport. During descent, the right alternator failed, and the owner performed the emergency gear extension procedure. Following an emergency gear extension, the landing gear of this model airplane cannot be retracted until the system has been ground serviced. A mechanic reported that about 7 months prior to the accident, with the owner present, he removed the oil filter from the left engine, found it packed with metal shavings and told the owner that the engine needed overhaul. Two other mechanics reported that approximately three weeks before the accident, they installed an oil filter on the left engine, changed the oil, and cleaned the oil pressure regulator. They ground ran both engines with no discrepancies noted. One of the mechanics reported that following the engine run, the left engine oil filter was removed, examined, and no metal was found. The landing gear was not serviced. According to the owner, the pilot was "hired" by one of the two mechanics to ferry the airplane with the gear extended to a location where the gear could be serviced. While en route, the pilot reported a loss of power on the left engine, that he was having trouble feathering the engine, that the airplane would not maintain altitude and he was looking for a place to land. Witnesses observed the airplane flying low, wheels down and losing altitude. They further observed it roll into a steep left bank, hit trees and a fence, catch fire, come to rest inverted on a road and burn. Post accident examination of the left engine revealed a hole in the right crankcase half over the #3 cylinder attach point. Disassembly of the left engine revealed that the #3 connecting rod was separated from the crankshaft, and the rod bolts, rod cap, and top of the rod were deformed. The #5 piston pin had one cap missing. Scoring was noted on the crankshaft journals, and the main bearings exhibited discoloration and deformation consistent with oil starvation. The cylinders exhibited deformation, scoring in the barrels, and deposits on the domes. The camshaft exhibited discoloration and scoring on the camshaft lobes. Disassembly of the left propeller revealed that it was in the vicinity of low pitch/latch position and not rotating at impact. The disassembly of the right engine and propeller did not reveal any discrepancies that would have precluded operation prior to impact. Estimates of the airplane's climb performance indicated that with the landing gear down and the left propeller stopped, it was not capable of sustained flight.