What happened
During an ILS approach, the pilot of a Cessna 402 (implied type from context/weight) initiated a missed approach. Upon increasing power, the left engine sputtered, causing the aircraft to veer to the left. Although the pilot activated the fuel boost pump, the airplane struck obstructions and came to rest upright approximately 500 feet from the runway approach end. A post-impact ground fire destroyed the aircraft. A responding sheriff's deputy observed the event, noting unusual engine sounds followed by blue flashes and an orange fireball. At the time of the accident, weather conditions consisted of 1/4-mile visibility in dense fog with a 100-foot overcast, which was below the ILS landing minimums of 200 feet and 1/2-mile visibility.
The investigation
The examination of the wreckage revealed that the aircraft was not configured correctly for a single-engine climb. Specifically, neither engine's propeller had been feathered, the landing gear remained down, and the flaps were extended to 10 degrees. Based on the pilot operating handbook performance charts for a gross weight of 5,909 pounds, these configurations resulted in a net climb performance of negative 400 feet per minute. No mechanical anomalies were found in either engine that would have prevented normal operation, and no discrepancies were noted in the airframe examination.
Findings
- The aircraft was not configured according to the single-engine go-around checklist, which requires feathering the inoperative engine and retracting gear and flaps.
- The pilot initiated an approach in weather conditions below the established landing minimums, which was not permitted under the operator's approved operating specifications.