Accident Cessna 421C N52AK,
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ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 132984
 
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Date:Sunday 22 November 1992
Time:15:21 LT
Type:Silhouette image of generic C421 model; specific model in this crash may look slightly different    
Cessna 421C
Owner/operator:Farroll Equipment Compnany
Registration: N52AK
MSN: 421C0204
Total airframe hrs:4384 hours
Engine model:CONTINENTAL GTSIO-520-L1B
Fatalities:Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 3
Aircraft damage: Destroyed
Category:Accident
Location:Santa Maria, CA -   United States of America
Phase: En route
Nature:Executive
Departure airport:Lake Tahoe, CA (KTVL)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency: NTSB
Confidence Rating: Accident investigation report completed and information captured
Narrative:
TWELVE MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE LEFT ENGINE BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH & VIBRATE. THE PILOT SAID HE COULD NOT CORRECT THE PROBLEM & SHUT THE LEFT ENGINE DOWN. NO EMERGENCY WAS DECLARED & THE PILOT TOLD ATC THAT HE WOULD CONTINUE TO HIS DESTINATION, 210 NM & 1.5 HOURS AWAY. THE PILOT OVERFLEW 5 AIRPORTS WITH RUNWAYS OVER 5,000 FT LONG & A MOUNTAIN RANGE. THE PILOT EXECUTED A VOR APPROACH & ENTERED AN EXTENDED DOWNWIND PATTERN. ON SHORT FINAL THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO AROUND BECAUSE HE DID NOT GET ANY GEAR DOWN INDICATIONS. HE THEN MANEUVERED FOR A DOWNWIND LANDING ON RUNWAY 12. THE AIRCRAFT HIT THE GROUND 100 YARDS SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, THEN COLLIDED WITH A DITCH & THE AIRPORT FENCE. AN FAA INSPECTOR SAID THERE WERE THREE CLEAR TIRE TRACKS FROM THE POINT OF TOUCHDOWN TO THE DITCH, WHERE THE GEAR WAS SHEARED OFF. HE FOUND NO PROBLEMS WITH THE GEAR SYSTEM. EXAM OF THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED A LEFT MAGNETO INTERNAL FAILURE DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION & WEAR, WHICH CAUSED CYLINDER CROSS FIRING.

Probable Cause: 1) THE INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE LEFT ENGINE, LEFT MAGNETO DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE AND NON COMPLIANCE WITH THE MANUFACTURERS SERVICE BULLETINS AND RECOMMENDATIONS, AND 2) THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ATTAIN THE PROPER TOUCHDOWN POINT DURING THE LANDING ATTEMPT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE INABILITY OF THE PILOT TO SHUT OFF THE LEFT MAGNETO AND THE FALSE LANDING GEAR INDICATIONS, BOTH FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Accident investigation:
cover
  
Investigating agency: NTSB
Report number: LAX93LA051
Status: Investigation completed
Duration: 9 months
Download report: Final report

Sources:

NTSB LAX93LA051

Location

Revision history:

Date/timeContributorUpdates
21-Dec-2016 19:25 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency]
10-Apr-2024 16:41 ASN Update Bot Updated [Time, Other fatalities, Phase, Departure airport, Source, Narrative, Category, Accident report]

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