History of Flight
On February 23, 2011, at 2002 eastern standard time, a Cessna 421C, N3875C, collided with terrain following a loss of control approximately 1.5 miles east of Mettel Airport (CEV) in Connersville, Indiana. The private pilot, the sole occupant, received fatal injuries. The airplane sustained substantial damage. The personal flight was conducted under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed; no flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Metropolitan Airport (UMP) in Indianapolis, Indiana, around 1940.
A witness with flight training reported hearing the airplane and seeing its navigation lights before the accident. The witness, parked on the west side of the airport near the south end of the runway, stated it was very dark with clear weather and a southeasterly wind at 15 to 20 knots. The airplane flew west to east over the vehicle at an altitude of 150 to 200 feet above ground. The witness noted everything seemed normal except the airplane was "way too low." The airplane made a left turn as if entering a downwind leg for runway 18, but did not roll out of the bank; it continued descending left-bank until inverted and disappeared behind tree line.
Radar data revealed an aircraft with transponder code 1200 south of UMP at 1940 at 1,100 feet. It tracked southeast toward CEV, climbing to a maximum 3,400 feet before descending. The last primary radar contact was at 2,000 feet about 5 miles east of CEV at 1954.
Pilot Information
The 47-year-old pilot held a private pilot certificate with single-engine land, multi-engine land, instrument, and helicopter ratings. He held a second-class medical certificate dated September 16, 2010, with no limitations. His last logbook (number 3) spanned April 8, 2008, to December 14, 2010, indicating an estimated total flight time of about 1,360 hours, including about 860 hours in multi-engine airplanes. In an insurance application dated December 20, 2010, he reported 558 hours in the Cessna 421C. The last logged flight in the Cessna 421C was December 14, 2010. Since May 2010, most of his flight time was in helicopters; he received his helicopter rating on July 30, 2010.
Aircraft Information
The low-wing, pressurized, retractable-gear airplane, serial number 421C0127, was manufactured in 1976. It was powered by two Continental GTSIO-520 engines. The last annual inspection was December 8, 2009, at 4,126.6 hours total aircraft time. Based on logs, total time at accident was approximately 4,158 hours. The left engine (s/n 292373-R) was rebuilt and installed on February 18, 1999; its last 100-hour inspection was December 8, 2009, with time since rebuild at 1,380.9 hours. The right engine (s/n 265040-R) was overhauled by Ram Aircraft on October 7, 2002, at 2,873.3 hours; its last 100-hour inspection was December 8, 2009, at time since major overhaul of 555.5 hours (total 3,428.8 hours). The last known fueling was December 14, 2010: about 40 gallons added at UMP and 100 gallons at CEV.
Meteorological Information
Surface observation from Shelbyville Municipal Airport (KGEZ), about 37 miles west-southwest of the accident site, at 1953 reported wind from 130 degrees at 8 knots, visibility 10 miles, ceiling 5,000 feet broken, temperature 4°C, dewpoint -1°C, altimeter 30.02 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane impacted an open field about 1.5 miles east of the south end of CEV's runway. The field was approximately 760 yards by 240 yards, surrounded by trees up to 100 feet tall. The airplane struck the terrain in a near vertical, nose-down attitude, coming to rest on a heading of about 215 degrees. All wreckage was in the vicinity. Both engines were buried about 4 feet deep. A narrow impact mark indicating the leading edge of the wing extended outboard from the engines.
The cabin floor was crushed back to the wing spar area. The cockpit and cabin sustained substantial impact damage, opening the structure to the empennage. Main landing gears were extended; the nose gear separated. The leading edge of the vertical stabilizer was crushed rearward. The rudder, both horizontal stabilizers, and elevators sustained little impact damage and remained attached. The elevator trim tab remained attached.
Both wings sustained extensive damage. The right wing separated from the fuselage; the left wing remained partially attached. The left aileron and both flaps remained attached; the right aileron separated and was found alongside the main wreckage. Fuel was observed dripping from a fuel line to the left wing during recovery. First responders reported a strong smell of fuel upon arrival.
Control continuity for elevators and rudder was established from control surfaces to the cabin area under the front seats. Aileron continuity was established from bellcranks to each wing root and from the aileron sector forward to the cabin area. Continuity could not be established forward of the front seats due to impact damage. Flap chains were separated; based on separation points, flaps were estimated to be extended to 15 degrees.
Many cockpit instruments were damaged beyond readability. The left attitude indicator and left and right heading indicators were disassembled; scoring was observed on rotors and housings. The airspeed indicator face and glass were intact, with two areas of missing paint aligning with the 215 knot mark. The tachometer glass was broken, face plate bent, with both needles at 1,800 rpm.
Both engines were washed after unearthing. Both propellers separated from engines with portions of flanges attached to crankshafts; propeller blades were bent forward. Postaccident examination of both engines revealed no anomalies that would have prevented normal operation.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy was performed on the pilot on February 24, 2011, by the East Central Indiana Pathologists, P.C., at the direction of the Fayette County Coroner. Forensic toxicology by the FAA Bioaeronautical Sciences Research Laboratory tested negative for all substances.
Additional Information
According to the CEV airport manager, the accident pilot had flown into the airport several times to purchase fuel. Fuel pumps were self-serve. Airport fueling records showed five fuel purchases at CEV in 2010, four during daylight. The airport rotating beacon was out of service at the time. Runway lights were set low from dusk to dawn and pilot-controlled for higher intensity; they operated normally after the accident. It could not be determined if the pilot increased light intensity.
The witness reported the airplane flew east over the airport and was turning north when the accident occurred. Connersville is south of the airport; the airplane turned away from town into rural, mostly open land with few lights for ground reference.