CHI95FA328

The pilot obtained a preflight briefing and indicated that he would obtain an IFR clearance after becoming airborne; however, he took off and did not activate a flight plan. Witnesses observed the airplane flying north (away from the destination) about 200 to 300 feet above the ground below a low overcast sky condition. One witness said the airplane was flying very slow; he said he was almost able to keep up with it in his vehicle. The witnesses said they saw the airplane roll rapidly to the right and descend toward the ground. It collided with the ground in an approximate 50 degree pitch down attitude. An on-scene examination did not reveal any airframe or control anomaly that would have resulted in the accident. The engines and propellers were disassembled for inspection. Examination of the engines revealed they were capable of producing power. Examination of the propellers revealed both were operating at low pitch settings. About 25 miles north-northwest at Battle Creek, MI, the 1145 edt weather was, in part: 500 feet overcast, visibility 2 miles with fog, wind from 050 degrees at 10 knots.

History of flight

On September 21, 1995, at 1145 eastern daylight time (edt), a Cessna 421B, N14A, piloted by a commercial pilot was destroyed during a collision with the ground following an uncontrolled descent. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The positioning 14 CFR Part 91 flight was not operating on a flight plan. The pilot was fatally injured. The flight departed Coldwater, Michigan, at 1135 edt.

The manager of the fixed base operation (FBO) where N14A was based said he saw the pilot talking with his employer before he went to the FBO's flight planning room. The pilot's employer taxiied his airplane out for a takeoff and the accident pilot forwarded his IFR clearance via the local airport radio.

The FBO manager observed the pilot make "...a couple of more telephone calls prior to departing." He said that the accident pilot "...left the office in somewhat of a hurry after making the telephone calls."

The pilot made three telephone calls to the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA) Flight Service Station (FSS) at Lansing, Michigan. During these calls he obtained IFR clearances for both his employer's airplane and his airplane. The FSS specialist advised him that there would be IFR traffic delays and that his planned departures would be delayed. The pilot spoke with the FSS specialist a short time later. He was told he'd have about an eight minute clearance void time. The pilot responded, "... I think I can do that, I'll [be] off by 1540 [1140 edt]." The specialist told the pilot he would have less than eight minutes due to their conversation. The pilot said, "Okay, I need to motate right now."

Two witnesses observed the airplane heading north between 200 and 300 feet above the ground. According to these witnesses, the airplane made a sharp turn toward the east. They said N14A's engines were running smoothly, but loud. They said the airplane pitched straight down as it began a recovery from its turn. The witnesses said the airplane appeared as though it did a half spin before they heard the crash.

A third witness said the airplane appeared to come straight out of the clouds. According to this witness he saw the top of the airplane with its nose pointed toward the ground. He said the airplane's wings yawed before it disappeared behind the trees.

A witness said he observed the airplane flying in an easterly direction at a low altitude. He said he believed the airplane to be too low and slow for maneuvering. This witness said his vehicle was almost able to keep up with the airplane as it flew in an easterly direction. The witness said the airplane's right wing was low. He said the airplane was about 200 to 300 feet above the ground in a continuous descent. According to this witness, the airplane made a steep right bank and descended vertically. He said he lost site of the airplane as it went behind the trees.

Personnel information

The pilot's logbook showed he had a total flight time of 1,983.7 hours as of September 5, 1995. This record showed he had 769.7 hours of multiengine airplane flight time. Of this multiengine time, the logbook showed he had logged 205.8 hours in the Cessna 421B between July 6, 1994, and September 5, 1995.

Aircraft information

N14A's airframe logbook showed its last annual inspection was completed on August 7, 1995. The logbook showed it had an airframe total time of 5,043.8 hours at the time of the inspection. N14A's right engine, serial number 231544-R, was overhauled on July 15, 1994, after 245.3 hours of operation. As of August 7, 1995, the right engine total time was 3,433.2 hours. The right engine's fuel pump serial number was (I207202R). A yellow tag showing a fuel pump had been overhauled was found with this engine's overhaul records. The serial number found the yellow tag was (A098005RB). This tag showed the fuel pump was overhauled on October 28, 1993.

The right engine logbook entry dated July 15, 1994, showed "Overhauled engine this date to factory new specifications per approved data." The engine logbook showed the engine driven fuel pump was change on July 15, 1994. There were no entries in the engine logbook that showed a fuel pump change after the overhaul date. According to the manufacturer's representative, the fuel pump did not have a life limit.

Wreckage and impact information

The airplane's wreckage was at the base of a shallow angled hill on a 025 degree heading. The right wing was on the hill's incline, the left wing was on marshy, level, ground. The airplane had impacted the ground at an approximate 45 degree pitchdown angle.

The fuselage, from the cockpit forward, was crushed aft and outward. Vertical crush lines on the fuselage's right side began about one foot behind the cabin emergency exit. These went forward to the ruptured cockpit area. The angle of these lines varied between about 80 and 45 degrees from the fuselage's centerline. Similar crush lines were found on the left fuselage side. Both engines were positioned in the ground at an approximate 45 degree angle.

The throttle and mixture levers were in the full aft position. Each lever had a nick on its rear edge that matched the quadrant cover. The front edges of the knobs on the throttle and mixture levers had irregular indentations on them. The left and right propeller levers' were at the "Feather Detent" position. The propeller lever guides were bent downward at the "Feather Detent" position. Cable continuity between each lever and their respective control mechanism was established. The fuel selector levers were positioned on the right and left auxiliary fuel tanks. The left engine's cockpit fuel selector indicator plate was destroyed. The right engine cockpit fuel selector indicator plate had a circular scratch mark on it. This scratch began at the middle of the "50 GAL RIGHT MAIN" label and continued to the end of the selector handle point.

The left and right boost pump switches were positioned on "Low." The pilot's heading and attitude indicator gyro rotors and internal sections of the cases had rotational scuffing. The electrically powered attitude indicator gyro's rotor and case were also scuffed.

The empennage and tail cone had separated from the fuselage. This assembly and was positioned 90 degrees to the remaining fuselage. The vertical stabilizer's leading edge was crushed aft. The horizontal stabilizer and elevator had wrinkled skin at the outboard hinge points. Elevator and rudder control and trim tab cable continuity was established between each surface and the control yoke mechanism, rudder pedals, and trim tab control in the cockpit.

The wings leading edge skin had separated at the main spar rivet line and was ruptured outward. The bladders were ruptured and torn. Soil in front of the left and right wings had an odor similar to 100 octane low lead aviation fuel. Vegetation in front of the left wing exhibited typical fuel blighting damage. The wingtip tanks forward sections were crushed aft and outward. Soil fuel odor and vegetation damage associated with the wing fuel tanks were also present around the wingtip tanks. The fuel tank bladders of the left and right wing locker auxiliary fuel tanks were ruptured.

The right wing was bent down about 10 degrees beginning at the midpoint between the fuselage and nacelle. The right aileron had separated from its outboard hinge. Wing skin was wrinkled on the top and bottom surfaces. The left wing was bent downward about 20 degrees starting at a point in line with the inboard side of the left aileron. This wing's upper and lower skins were wrinkled. The left aileron was separated at the outboard hinge point. The flaps were retracted. The aileron control and trim tab cables had continuity between the respective surfaces and control mechanisms in the cockpit.

The left and right propeller