Date:	Saturday 17 June 1989
Time:	15:00
Type:	Cessna 421 Golden Eagle
Owner/operator:	W.E.Hamilton
Registration:	N421S
MSN:	421-0063
Year of manufacture:	1968
Total airframe hrs:	5070 hours
Engine model:	Continental GTSIO-520
Fatalities:	Fatalities: 0 / Occupants: 4
Other fatalities:	0
Aircraft damage:	Destroyed
Category:	Accident
Location:	Pinal Airpark, 7nm NW of Picacho, Arizona -   United States of America
Phase:	Initial climb
Nature:	Private
Departure airport:	Pinal Airpark, Picacho. Arizona (MZJ/KMZJ)
Destination airport:
Investigating agency:	NTSB
Confidence Rating:	Accident investigation report completed and information captured

Narrative:
THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. WITH THE GEAR AND FLAPS RETRACTED AND THE LEFT PROPELLER FEATHERED, THE AIRPLANE WOULD CLIMB SLIGHTLY. AS IT PASSED OVER GREEN FIELDS, THE AIRPLANE STARTED A DESCENT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A COTTON FIELD AND THE LEFT TIP TANK BURST INTO FLAMES AS IT TOUCHED THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE.

ENGINE TEAR DOWN REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE EXHAUST VALVE FAILED. ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 1,600 FEET MST, OAT [OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE] WAS 114 DEGREES F. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,600 FEET.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows: FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE EXHAUST VALVE ON THE LEFT ENGINE. A MAJOR FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WHERE THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT OPERATE ON SINGLE ENGINE.

1. NTSB Identification: LAX89LA217 at https://www.ntsb.gov/_layouts/ntsb.aviation/brief.aspx?ev_id=20001213X28599&key=1
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=421S

Date/time	Contributor	Updates
27-Sep-2008 01:00	ASN archive	Added
16-Dec-2016 22:09	Dr. John Smith	Updated [Cn, Operator, Location, Phase, Nature, Departure airport, Source, Damage, Narrative, ]
21-Dec-2016 19:14	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]
21-Dec-2016 19:16	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]
21-Dec-2016 19:20	ASN Update Bot	Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency, ]