Crash of a Cessna 340A in Chesapeake: 2 killed
Date & Time:
Mar 16, 1999 at 0950 LT
Registration:
N13DT
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Chesapeake – Bunnell
MSN:
340A-0063
YOM:
1976
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total hours on type:
10.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3575
Circumstances:
After takeoff, the airplane returned to the departure airport for an emergency landing. The aircraft was observed in the vicinity of the runway threshold, about 500 feet above the ground, with it's left propeller feathered, when it entered a left bank which increased to about 90 degrees. The airplane then entered a spin, descended, and impacted the ground. Examination of wreckage revealed the camshaft of the left engine had failed as a result of a fatigue crack. No other abnormalities were observed of airframe or engine. The left engine had accumulated about 1,200 hours since overhaul. The pilot purchased the airplane about 1 month prior to the accident. At that time, he reported 700 hours of flight experience in multi-engine airplanes, of which, 10 hours were in the make and model of the accident airplane.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during a single engine emergency landing, after experiencing a failure of the left engine. A factor in this accident was the failure of the left engine's camshaft due to a fatigue crack.
Final Report:
