Cessna 414 N400CS

Summary

On 26 December 2006 at about 20:55 local time, a Cessna 414 registered N400CS, operated by Flight Source LLC, was involved in an accident near Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

26 December 2006 at 20:55

Classification

Accident

Location

Johnstown, Pennsylvania, United States

Nearest airport

Murtha Johnstown (JST)

Coordinates

40.3158, -78.8342

Aircraft

Cessna 414

Registration

N400CS

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Flight Source LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Morgantown → Teterboro

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

IMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC07FA051

2 people died.

The pilot's improper decision to abort the landing with a damaged airplane. Contributing to the accident were the damage from the airplane's impact with the runway, the pilot's failure to lower the landing gear prior to the landing attempt, and the in-flight icing conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane encountered in-flight icing, and the pilot diverted to an airport to attempt to knock the ice off at a lower altitude. During the instrument approach, the pilot advised the tower controller of the ice, and that it depended on whether or not the ice came off the airplane if she would land. As the airplane broke out of the clouds, it appeared to tower personnel to be executing a missed approach; however, it suddenly "dove" for the runway. The tower supervisor noticed that the landing gear were not down, and at 75 to 100 feet above the runway, advised the pilot to go around. The airplane continued to descend, and by the time it impacted the runway, the landing gear were only partially extended, and the propellers and airframe impacted the pavement. The pilot then attempted to abort the landing. The damaged airplane became airborne, climbed to the right, stalled, and nosed straight down into the ground.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.