Cessna 421C N52AK

Summary

On 22 November 1992 at about 21:21 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N52AK, operated by Farroll Equipment Compnany, was involved in an accident near Santa Maria, California, United States. 3 people were on board and one was seriously injured. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

22 November 1992 at 21:21

Classification

Accident

Location

Santa Maria, California, United States

Nearest airport

Santa Maria Public (SMX)

Coordinates

34.8208, -120.4108

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N52AK

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Farroll Equipment Compnany

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Lake Tahoe → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX93LA051

1 person was seriously injured.

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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB 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.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.