CHI05FA056

The airplane received substantial damage on impact with trees, terrain, and a residence about one mile from the departure airport during instrument meteorological conditions. The airport elevation was 1,096 feet mean sea level. The personal flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan with a filed equipment suffix designating that the airplane was equipped with a Global Positioning System. Airplane records indicate that the airplane was equipped with a GPS but was not approved for IFR navigation. The pilot was issued a departure clearance to 3,000 feet and heading of 130 degrees. Radar data indicates that the airplane leveled off at an altitude approximately 2,000 feet during a 32 second period while executing a right turn to the assigned heading. Witnesses reported that the airplane impacted terrain in a right wing nose low attitude. Wreckage distribution and ground scarring was indicative of a high-speed impact with terrain. No anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane were noted. The calculated airplane weight was approximately 597 lbs above the maximum gross weight of the airplane.

History of flight

On January 21, 2005, about 0943 central standard time, a Cessna 421C Riley Turbine Eagle, N844JK, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed on impact with terrain and a house in Overland Park, Kansas, following takeoff from Johnson County Executive Airport (OJC), Olathe, Kansas. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 91 personal flight was operating on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident and was en route to Zephyrhills Municipal Airport (ZPA), Zephyrhills, Florida.

On January 20, 2005, a mechanic stated that , he performed a preflight inspection and replaced the tires on N844JK. He also checked the engine oil, added one quart to each engine, performed a visual inspection through the oil door, and inspected the empennage. The mechanic left the hangar at 1825, and there were no "squawkable" airplane items prior to the accident flight.

At 0925, a caller representing N844JK called Columbia Automated Flight Service Station by telephone and obtained a preflight pilot brief for an IFR flight from OJC to ZPA. The filed flight plan listed "/G," a "Global Positioning System (GPS)/Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) equipped aircraft with en route and terminal capability."

At 0937, OJC Tower contacted the Departure West Controller (DW) for release on N844JK. DW released N844JK on a 130 degree heading climbing to 3,000 feet.

N844JK then departed from runway 36.

At 0940:15, N844JK, "kansas city departure eight four four juliet kilo with you off o j c turning right one three zero"

At 0940:19, DW, "twin cessna eight four four juliet kilo kansas city departure uh ident"

At 0940:28, N844JK, "j k roger"

At 0940:29, DW, "twin cessna three four yankee traffic four miles northeast of the executive airport southwest bound is a centurion level at four thousand and your radar contract one mile north of the executive airport"

At 0940:42, N844JK, "that for four j k"

At 0940:44, DW, "four juliet kilo affirmative"

At 0940:51, DW, "twin cessna four juliet kilo you copy that traffic is at your ah two miles east of your position now southwest bound level at four thousand"

At 0940:58, N844JK, "yea i copied but i'm in the i am the i m m c"

At 0941:02, DW, "ah roger just maintain three thousand"

There were no further recorded transmissions from N844JK.

A witness reported that he heard the airplane engine and looked to the east and saw a small airplane traveling north to south about 450 - 500 feet above ground level (AGL) and "well below the fog bank." At that time, the airplane was about 300 yards from the accident site and fairly level. He stated that the landing gear was not extended, and he did not see any open doors on the airplane. About 200 yards from the accident site, the airplane rolled right wing down. The airplane banked almost 90 degrees and then descended with the right wing and airplane nose in a downward attitude. There was a "tremendous" explosion and fireball.

A second witness reported that he heard an airplane louder than normal probably because it was so low. The airplane was flying north to south, and its right wing was aiming towards the ground. The airplane impacted the ground almost straight up and down.

A third witness stated that he first saw the airplane when it was 75-100 feet AGL and heard a noise, which he said was "like a loud humming noise." He didn't think the engines were running, but he said, "it happened so quick." The airplane descended in a 45-degree nose-down attitude when "it came out of the fog." He did not see the impact because a house blocked his view.

Personnel information

The pilot held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land, multiengine land, and instrument airplane ratings. On March 1, 2004, the pilot was issued a third class airman medical certificate with the following limitation: "must wear corrective lenses". The pilot reported a total flight time of 6,000 hours at the date of his last airman medical certificate issuance. Copies of pilot logbooks were provided to the National Transportation Safety Board by the airplane mechanic. The most recent logbook copy ("blue book") had a beginning date of September 24, 2004, and an ending date of January 14. All of the pages in this pilot log were unsigned and subsequent entries after the first page were without a year annotation.

On February 5, 1976, the pilot was issued a private pilot certificate with a single-engine land rating.

On October 3, 1976, the pilot failed the flight examination portion for an instrument airplane rating. He was to be reexamined on the following: VOR, ILS, NDB approaches and holding patterns.

On October 8, 1976, the pilot was issued an instrument airplane rating.

On February 12, 1977, the pilot was issued an airplane multiengine land rating.

On December 8, 1996, the pilot was involved in an aviation accident investigated by the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) under accident identification ATL97LA022.

On April 18, 1999, according to Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) records, the pilot was involved in an aviation "incident" in N844JK at Lee's Summit Airport, Lee's Summit, Missouri. After touchdown, the right brake locked and the airplane departed the runway approximately 2/10 mile later. The left main gear struck a raised concrete taxiway causing left engine and propeller damage. The left wing trailing edge and support structure for the left landing gear were damaged.

On April 5, 2004, the pilot completed the FAA's Pilot Proficiency Wings, Phase VII and, according to a document from Recurrent Training Center, Inc., Savoy, Illinois, the pilot completed an instrument proficiency check and flight review.

A pilot, who had flown and attended recurrent flight training with the accident pilot, stated that the accident pilot always seemed to maintain aircraft control and thought he was very careful. He was a "thorough pilot" and knew how to interpret the "gauges very well." He said that N844JK was "a lot of airplane" for the accident pilot as opposed to the Cessna 310 in which they were partners in. He never saw the accident pilot write down air traffic control clearances. He never saw the accident pilot make mistakes with altitude assignments. He thought that the accident pilot had about 4,500-5,000 hours of flight time, and he did not know how much instrument time he accumulated. He said that the accident pilot would fly in weather that he wouldn't fly in. He heard from other people that the accident pilot would like to use the accident airplane autopilot and was "fairly reliant" on it.

Aircraft information

The 1979 Cessna 421C, serial number 421C0681, was registered on May 31, 2002, to Riley Rocket, Inc., of which the pilot was president. On January 26, 1982, under Riley Aircraft Supplemental Type Certificate SA4293WE, dated January 22, 1982, the airplane was equipped with:

Two Lycoming LTP 101-600A-1A (left engine serial number (S/N) LE50045 and the right engine S/N LE50046), turbo propeller engines

Two Harztell propellers, model HCB3TN-3C/T101T3B-13Q (left propeller S/N BU10008 and right propeller S/N BU10010)

Two 103 gallon main fuel tanks in each wing and two 37.5 gallon aluminum fuel tanks in each Aft Nacelle

Dual Trim System

Air conditioning System

Janitrol Aero Div. Midland Ross Heater Package

Power Distribution, (electrical) Auxilec System

On February 6, 2002, the left wing rear spar was repaired which was accomplished per a structural analysis report 995705. The report states that the aircraft ran off the runway at Lee's Summit, Missouri on April 18, 1999. The off runway excursion drove the left main landing gear strut up and into the upper wing skin.