LAX95FA029

The pilot was completing the first leg of an IFR flight in a multi-engine airplane. As the airplane was established on final approach, about 5 miles from the airport, the pilot encountered visual meteorological conditions and canceled his IFR flight plan. Moments later, the right engine began to sputter and then lost power. The pilot said that he switched the fuel selector valves to various positions and positioned the fuel boost pump to high-flow; however, during this time, the left engine also lost power. The pilot attempted to start both engines, but without success. During a forced landing, the airplane struck a pole, then crashed into a condominium. A fire erupted, but all 4 occupants survived the accident. Two occupants in the condominium received minor injuries. The pilot believed that he had moved the fuel selector valves to the auxiliary position for about 1 hour during flight; however, the passengers did not see him move the fuel selectors until after the engine(s) lost power. The right fuel selector handle was found between the right main tank and off positions. The left fuel selector was destroyed by post-impact fire.

History of flight

On November 1, 1994, at 1306 hours Pacific standard time, a Cessna 421A, N421WB, crashed into two condominiums at Sparks, Nevada, during an emergency landing caused by a total loss of power on both engines. The crash site is about 2 miles northwest of the Reno Tahoe International Airport near the centerline of runway 16L. The pilot was on final approach to runway 16L and was completing the first leg of an instrument flight rules business flight to Palm Springs, California. The airplane, registered to and operated by Keys Family Limited Liability Corporation, Corbett, Oregon, was destroyed by impact and the resulting postimpact fire; two condominiums and a parked automobile were destroyed and one condominium sustained substantial damage. The certificated airline transport pilot and one passenger sustained minor injuries; two passengers sustained serious injuries; and two occupants of the condominiums received minor injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The flight originated at Troutdale Airport, Portland, Oregon, at 1036 hours.

National Transportation Safety Board investigators interviewed the pilot on November 2, 1994, at the crash site. The pilot said that he filed and activated an instrument flight rules (ifr) flight plan for the flight. After departing Troutdale Airport, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) air route traffic control center sector controller cleared the flight to 17,000 feet mean sea level (msl).

About 1 1/2 hours into the flight, the pilot said he switched the fuel selector valves to the auxiliary position. About 1 hour later, the pilot said he returned the fuel selector valves to the main tank position.

The en route portion of the flight was routine. When the flight approached Reno International Airport, the sector controller ultimately cleared the flight to descend for landing. When the flight was about 5 miles northwest of the airport and established on the final approach course for runway 16L, the pilot encountered visual meteorological conditions and canceled his ifr flight plan.

Moments later, the right engine began to sputter, miss, and quit. The pilot said he switched the fuel selector valves to various positions and turned on the fuel boost pump to the high-flow position. During this time, the left engine quit. The pilot attempted to start both engines, but without success. The pilot told the local controller that both engines quit and that the airplane was going down.

The pilot did not say that he used the checklist before commencing the approach.

Safety Board investigators interviewed the two passengers, who occupied the rear seats, at Washoe County Hospital, Reno, Nevada, in the evening on November 1, 1994. The passengers said that they became aware of the situation when both engines quit. They did not see the pilot switching the fuel selector valves until after the engines quit.

Safety Board investigators conducted a telephone interview with the right front seat passenger, the owner of the airplane, on November 2, 1994. He said that the flight was routine until both engines quit. About 1 hour after the flight departed Troutdale Airport, the pilot announced that he was going to switch the fuel selector valves to the auxiliary tanks and that they should not worry if the engines "coughed."

The right front seat passenger said that he did not see the pilot switch the fuel selector valves until both engines quit. He said, however, that he went into the cabin after the pilot switched the tanks and discussed some business with the rear seat passengers. He returned to the right front seat when the flight began the descent for landing.

The consensus of several ground witnesses was that both engines began to sputter, backfire, and then quit moments before the crash.

Safety Board investigators reviewed the recorded communications medium between the FAA, Reno Air Traffic Control Tower and N421WB. The local controller cleared the flight to land and cautioned the pilot about wake turbulence from the preceding Boeing 737 at 1304:23 hours. At 1304:58 hours, the local controller again cleared the flight to land. At 1305:31 hours, Safety Board investigators heard a squealing sound when the local controller was talking to another aircraft.

At 1305:47 hours, the pilot of N421WB reported, " . . . we're going down." There were no further communications between N421WB and the local controller. At 1305:58 hours, Safety Board investigators heard the sound of an emergency locator transmitter.

According to the FAA Troutdale Airport Traffic Control Tower records, the flight departed Troutdale Airport at 1036 hours.

Crew information

The pilot holds an airline transport pilot certificate with airplane single- and multiengined land ratings. He also holds a certified flight instructor certificate with airplane single-engine, multiengine, and instrument - airplane ratings. The pilot also held a second-class medical certificate issued on February 22, 1993; the certificate contained a "Must have available glasses for near vision" limitation endorsement. The second-class medical certificate is valid for 12 calendar months; thereafter, it reverts to a third-class medical certificate that is valid for 24 calendar months after the date of issue.

According to federal air regulations, a pilot cannot conduct commercial operations (fly for hire) without a valid second-class medical certificate. The pilot said he was employed by the operator as a private client advisor. His duties do not require him to fly the airplane. He said that he flew the airplane for the operator on a personal basis and that he does not receive any monetary or other compensation for his company flying activities.

The pilot told Safety Board investigators that his flight hours logbook was in the airplane. The flight hours reflected on page 3 of this report were obtained from the pilot's recollection of his total hours. He said he accrued 7,000 flight hours, of which 5,000 flight hours were flown in multiengine airplanes. He accrued 65 hours in the accident airplane make and model which were accrued during the 90 days preceding the accident.

The pilot said he received his biennial flight review in January 1993.

Aircraft information

According to the FAA, the airplane was registered to Keys Family Limited Liability Corporation on August 19, 1994. The owner of the corporation, the right seat passenger said he leased the airplane to two other companies that he owns.

Safety Board investigators examined the airplane's maintenance logbooks on January 11, 1995. The airframe logbook review revealed that an FAA designee reissued an FAA standard airworthiness certificate on March 18, 1994. The airplane had previously been certificated by the Canadian Civil Aeronautics Administration.

On March 17, 1994, an airframe and powerplant mechanic with inspection authorization completed an annual inspection on the airplane and engines. The airplane accrued 7,499.7 hours at the time of the inspection. There were no deferred maintenance discrepancies noted.

At the time of the annual inspection, the left engine accrued 1,068.1 hours since major overhaul (SMOH). The right engine accrued 740.6 hours SMOH. On June 30, 1994, the right engine underwent a major overhaul due to a crack at the No. 4 cylinder crankcase. The airplane accrued 7,509 hours when the engine was overhauled.

The airplane's recording hobbsmeter was destroyed by impact and the postimpact fire. Safety Board investigators were unable to determine the airplane's total flight time at the time of the accident.

Wreckage and impact information

The crash site is at 1855/1859 Merchant Street, Sparks, Nevada. The airplane came to rest, right-side-up, facing on a northerly heading (all headings/bearings in this report are oriented toward magnetic north) in the 1855 Merchant Street's