# Incident 20141218022729I: Cessna 421B, Kiritimati, December 18, 2014

- Type: FAA incident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: December 18, 2014, 12:12 local time
- Place: Kiritimati
- Airport: Cassidy International Airport
- Damage: No damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft: N21WT, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N21WT-2023-07-11) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 421B (registry code 2076014, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421b) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental GTSIO-520-C (registry code 17035, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-gtsio-520-c) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 421B
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR GTSIO-520-H
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot, flight instructor
- Pilot flight hours: 2,200 total, 216 in this make and model, 23 in the last 90 days
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20141218022729I

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON DECEMBER 18, 2012, N21WT WAS BEING OPERATED ON A SPECIAL FLIGHT PERMIT FOR OVERWEIGHT CONDITION, AND HAD DEPARTED FROM KIRITIMATI, KIRIBATI (PLCH) FOR HONOLULU, HI (PHNL).

THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY AN HOUR INTO THE FLIGHT, CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 8000FT, WHEN THE PILOT NOTICED THE RIGHT ENGINE RPM AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE STARTING TO FLUCTUATE. WITHIN A FEW MINUTES OF THE RPM AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE FLUCTUATING, THE PILOT OBSERVED SMOKE STARTING TO EMANATE FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE AS WELL.

AT THIS POINT THE PILOT WHO WAS MONITORING THE RIGHT ENGINE GAUGES, OBSERVED THE RIGHT ENGINE OIL PRESSURE STARTING TO DECREASE. THE PILOT THEN MADE THE DECISION TO COMPLY WITH THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR SHUTTING DOWN THE ENGINE. HE SECURED THE ENGINE, FEATHERED THE PROPELLER, AND CLOSED THE FUEL VALVE TO THE RIGHT ENGINE.

WHILE ACCOMPLISHING THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR ENGINE OUT, THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 300FT FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT TO PLCH. AT THIS TIME THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND WAS ABLE TO JETTISON FUEL FROM THE AIRCRAFT VIA THE LEFT FUEL TANK VENT SYSTEM AND CLIMB VERY SLOWLY TO AN ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 1300FT BEFORE HIS APPROACH TO PLCH.

AIRCRAFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT BACK ON KIRITIMATI.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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