Accident Details
On June 26, 2014, about 0457 central daylight time, a Cessna 414 airplane, N1552T, was destroyed by impact forces and a post-impact fire following a loss of control during landing approach to runway 34 at Creve Coeur Airport (1H0), near Maryland Heights, Missouri. The pilot sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was registered to Tango Two Aviation, LLC and operated by the private pilot under 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan had been filed but not activated. The flight was originating at the time of the accident, with Fort Campbell, Kentucky as the intended destination.
Sequence of Events
The pilot reported performing a normal pre-flight inspection and pre-takeoff run-up. Departing from runway 16, the pilot intended to open the instrument flight plan once airborne. About 15 to 20 seconds after rotation, at approximately 400 to 500 feet above ground level, the left front baggage door opened. The pilot leveled the airplane and turned to a right crosswind, intending to land on runway 16 to close the baggage door. Shortly after turning downwind for runway 16, the left engine stopped producing power. While feathering the left engine and maintaining airspeed, the airplane struck power lines and then the ground, exploding during the impact sequence.
Examination Findings
Postaccident examination revealed that fire and impact damage prevented a comprehensive determination of all aircraft systems. Partial continuity of the flight control system was confirmed. The instrument panel and cabin section were consumed by the post-impact fire, as were the majority of fuel system components. No evidence of a mechanical failure or malfunction that would have precluded normal operation was found in the airframe.
The engines were transported to the manufacturer for further examination. The right engine sustained too much damage for a test run, but a teardown examination revealed no preimpact anomalies. The left engine was sufficiently intact for a test cell run. Several fuel system components were replaced with surrogate units due to accident damage. During the test run, the engine started normally and produced full rated power. However, fuel pump pressure and flow were noted to be high, and the engine test was completed with the mixture manually leaned to proper settings. Subsequent flow bench testing of the fuel pump indicated it was set high (rich) compared to production test specifications. While a richer mixture could cause reduced power, it would not account for a complete loss of engine power. It was not possible to determine if the fuel pump output as installed in the airframe was within specifications due to differences between the airframe installation and the test cell. No further abnormalities in engine operation were noted.