19950921029679A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 421B · Coldwater, MI · September 21, 1995

Date: September 21, 1995 · 11:38 local
Place: Coldwater, MI
Airport: Branch County Memorial Airport
Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N14A
NTSB investigation: NTSBCHI95FA328
Reported as: Cessna 421B
Reported engine: Continental GTSIO520*
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,984 total170 in this make and model80 in the last 90 days

N14ARegistration cancelled Apr 15, 1997 · Cessna 421BS/N 421B0373 Airframe modelCessna 421B

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Dived from clouds. Recovered low and slow. Wing stalled. Vertical impact,right prop flight idle. Bad right fuel pump (-23) on September 21, 1995 at approximately 1138 EDT, a Cessna model 421, N14A, piloted by commercial pilot craig d. hinkle crashed in a field shortly after takeoff from the Branch County Memorial Airport in Coldwater, Michigan (D96). The aircraft was destroyed upon impact with the terrain, and the pilot, who was the only occupant on board, was fatally injured in the accident. The aircraft had received an IFR clearance to depart Coldwater, MI with a destination of elkhart, in (ekm). The aircraft appeared never to have reached an altitude high enough to contact kalamazoo departure control. The flight originated from Coldwater, MI on 09-21-95 at approximately 1138 EDT. Instrument meteorological conditions existed at the time of the accident. This accident is still under investigation by the NTSB.

As the FAA filed it

DIVED FROM CLOUDS. RECOVERED LOW AND SLOW. WING STALLED. VERTICAL IMPACT,RIGHT PROP FLIGHT IDLE.BAD RIGHT FUEL PUMP (-23) ON SEPTEMBER 21, 1995 AT APPROXIMATELY 1138 EDT, A CESSNA MODEL 421, N14A, PILOTED BY COMMERCIAL PILOT CRAIG D. HINKLE CRASHED IN A FIELD SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM THE BRANCH COUNTY MEMORIAL AIRPORT IN COLDWATER, MICHIGAN (D96). THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED UPON IMPACT WITH THE TERRAIN, AND THE PILOT, WHO WAS THE ONLY OCCUPANT ON BOARD, WAS FATALLY INJURED IN THE ACCIDENT. THE AIRCRAFT HAD RECEIVED AN IFR CLEARANCE TO DEPART COLDWATER, MI WITH A DESTINATION OF ELKHART, IN (EKM). THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED NEVER TO HAVE REACHED AN ALTITUDE HIGH ENOUGH TO CONTACT KALAMAZOO DEPARTURE CONTROL. THE FLIGHT ORIGINATED FROM COLDWATER, MI ON 09-21-95 AT APPROXIMATELY 1138 EDT. INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT. THIS ACCIDENT IS STILL UNDER INVESTIGATION BY THE NTSB.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB CHI95FA328Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportColdwater, MIfailure of the pilot to maintain adequate airspeed, while maneuvering (turning) at low altitude, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with the terrain. Factors relating to the accident were: the adverse weather conditions, and the lack of…Sep 21, 1995 · Destroyed

Other reports on N14A · 1

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Accident 19930415009379ALevel Off Touchdown · Fort Payne, ALDowndraft on takeoff. Hit runway but continued. Over stressed gear collapsed on landing. Reported to be revenue tripApr 15, 1993 · Substantial damage