What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On June 26, 2014 at approximately 0445 CDT, a Cessna 414, N1552T, owned and operated by a private individual, was destroyed by a post crash fire while attempting to return for landing at Creve Coeur Airport (1H0), Creve Coeur, Missouri. The aircraft impacted power lines, trees and terrain. The accident site was located west of Creve Coeur Airport (1H0) near the east-bound lanes of highway 364. The pilot sustained serious injuries.
The pilot stated to the Maryland heights police department that "the aircraft left front cargo door came ajar, so he was circling around to land when the aircraft lost the left engine."
Visual meterorlogical conditions prevailed for the personal flight being conducted under the provisions of 14 (CFR) code of federal regulations part 91.
An instrument flight plan for N1552T was on file, including a planned departure time of 0430 CDT, but had not been activated at the time of the crash. The planned route of flight was from Creve Coeur Airport (1H0), Creve Coeur, Missouri to the destination airport outlaw field airport (kckv) clarksville, Tennessee.
The information obtained about the pilot was included in the Maryland heights police department report and FAA database(s). The pilot was advised by his lawyer to decline communicating with the inspectors from this office.
Inspection of the aircraft maintenance logs for the left engine revealed that this engine had recently undergone significant maintenance of the fuel system. The fuel pump, the throttle body/mixture controller, the flow divider manifold assembly and 6 fuel nozzles were sent to aircraft accessories of Oklahoma inc, tulsa, Oklahoma for testing and overhaul. On 04/15/2014 the fuel components were reinstalled and tested. An additional
Discrepancy (high EGT) was identified on 4/17/14. On 05/03/2014 the fuel pump was exchanged with a fuel pump with a different part number from aircraft accessories of Oklahoma inc, tulsa, Oklahoma. Replacement of parts and run-up testing were done by a local certified mechanic.
The engines were sent to Continental motors inc. facility located in mobile, Alabama for testing and teardown analysis.
The flaps were in the up position. The gear was in the down and locked position.
The investigation is to remain open until final facts are assured, at which time this report will be amended.
August 6, 2014 -49 U.S.c. 44709 re-examination initiated.
July 24, 2014 after thorough investigation enforcement initiated against local mechanic that performed fuel system maintenance on the right aircraft engine. 14 CFR 43.13 (a) states that the mechanic, privacy data omitted, failed to use the methods, techniques and practices prescribed in the current manufacturer's maintenance manual or instructions for continued airworthhiness prepared by its manufacturer, by not using the correct tools and equipment called out by Continental motors by not using equipment called out the fuel in the injection system may not have met all pressure and flow specifications. This had no bearing on the accident.
As the FAA filed it
ON JUNE 26, 2014 AT APPROXIMATELY 0445 CDT, A CESSNA 414, N1552T, OWNED AND OPERATED BY A PRIVATE INDIVIDUAL, WAS DESTROYED BY A POST CRASH FIRE WHILE ATTEMPTING TO RETURN FOR LANDING AT CREVE COEUR AIRPORT (1H0), CREVE COEUR, MISSOURI. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED POWER LINES, TREES AND TERRAIN. THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS LOCATED WEST OF CREVE COEUR AIRPORT (1H0) NEAR THE EAST-BOUND LANES OF HIGHWAY 364. THE PILOT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES.
THE PILOT STATED TO THE MARYLAND HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT THAT "THE AIRCRAFT LEFT FRONT CARGO DOOR CAME AJAR, SO HE WAS CIRCLING AROUND TO LAND WHEN THE AIRCRAFT LOST THE LEFT ENGINE."
VISUAL METERORLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT BEING CONDUCTED UNDER THE PROVISIONS OF 14 (CFR) CODE OF FEDERAL REGULATIONS PART 91.
AN INSTRUMENT FLIGHT PLAN FOR N1552T WAS ON FILE, INCLUDING A PLANNED DEPARTURE TIME OF 0430 CDT, BUT HAD NOT BEEN ACTIVATED AT THE TIME OF THE CRASH. THE PLANNED ROUTE OF FLIGHT WAS FROM CREVE COEUR AIRPORT (1H0), CREVE COEUR, MISSOURI TO THE DESTINATION AIRPORT OUTLAW FIELD AIRPORT (KCKV) CLARKSVILLE, TENNESSEE.
THE INFORMATION OBTAINED ABOUT THE PILOT WAS INCLUDED IN THE MARYLAND HEIGHTS POLICE DEPARTMENT REPORT AND FAA DATABASE(S). THE PILOT WAS ADVISED BY HIS LAWYER TO DECLINE COMMUNICATING WITH THE INSPECTORS FROM THIS OFFICE.
INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT MAINTENANCE LOGS FOR THE LEFT ENGINE REVEALED THAT THIS ENGINE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE SIGNIFICANT MAINTENANCE OF THE FUEL SYSTEM. THE FUEL PUMP, THE THROTTLE BODY/MIXTURE CONTROLLER, THE FLOW DIVIDER MANIFOLD ASSEMBLY AND 6 FUEL NOZZLES WERE SENT TO AIRCRAFT ACCESSORIES OF OKLAHOMA INC, TULSA, OKLAHOMA FOR TESTING AND OVERHAUL. ON 04/15/2014 THE FUEL COMPONENTS WERE REINSTALLED AND TESTED. AN ADDITIONAL
DISCREPANCY (HIGH EGT) WAS IDENTIFIED ON 4/17/14. ON 05/03/2014 THE FUEL PUMP WAS EXCHANGED WITH A FUEL PUMP WITH A DIFFERENT PART NUMBER FROM AIRCRAFT ACCESSORIES OF OKLAHOMA INC, TULSA, OKLAHOMA. REPLACEMENT OF PARTS AND RUN-UP TESTING WERE DONE BY A LOCAL CERTIFIED MECHANIC.
THE ENGINES WERE SENT TO CONTINENTAL MOTORS INC. FACILITY LOCATED IN MOBILE, ALABAMA FOR TESTING AND TEARDOWN ANALYSIS.
THE FLAPS WERE IN THE UP POSITION. THE GEAR WAS IN THE DOWN AND LOCKED POSITION.
THE INVESTIGATION IS TO REMAIN OPEN UNTIL FINAL FACTS ARE ASSURED, AT WHICH TIME THIS REPORT WILL BE AMENDED.
AUGUST 6, 2014 -49 U.S.C. 44709 RE-EXAMINATION INITIATED.
JULY 24, 2014 AFTER THOROUGH INVESTIGATION ENFORCEMENT INITIATED AGAINST LOCAL MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED FUEL SYSTEM MAINTENANCE ON THE RIGHT AIRCRAFT ENGINE. 14 CFR 43.13 (A) STATES THAT THE MECHANIC, ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, FAILED TO USE THE METHODS, TECHNIQUES AND PRACTICES PRESCRIBED IN THE CURRENT MANUFACTURER'S MAINTENANCE MANUAL OR INSTRUCTIONS FOR CONTINUED AIRWORTHHINESS PREPARED BY ITS MANUFACTURER, BY NOT USING THE CORRECT TOOLS AND EQUIPMENT CALLED OUT BY CONTINENTAL MOTORS BY NOT USING EQUIPMENT CALLED OUT THE FUEL IN THE INJECTION SYSTEM MAY NOT HAVE MET ALL PRESSURE AND FLOW SPECIFICATIONS. THIS HAD NO BEARING ON THE ACCIDENT.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.