History of Flight
On March 4, 2017, about 0023 eastern standard time, a Cessna 421B, registration N421KL, was substantially damaged during an attempted go-around and subsequent collision with terrain at Cherokee County Airport (CNI), Canton, Georgia. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot under Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 for a personal cross-country flight. Night visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight originated about 1930 on March 3, 2017, from Richard Lloyd Jones Jr Airport (RVS), Tulsa, Oklahoma, destined for CNI.
According to personnel at an aviation brokerage company in Oklahoma, the pilot purchased the airplane on March 2, 2017. A flight instructor reported that he and the pilot flew the airplane on March 1, 2017, for 1.5 hours to review systems. On March 2, 2017, they flew again for 45 minutes conducting pattern work. The instructor noted the pilot had previously owned two Cessna 421Cs, felt "rusty," and had not flown that type since 1984. The pilot's logbook showed a flight review sign-off on March 3, 2017.
Radar and audio data showed the pilot was in contact with air traffic control and receiving VFR flight following. The pilot cancelled flight following when the airport was in sight. Radar data displayed the airplane on approach until descending below 2,500 ft.
Airport video surveillance showed runway lights illuminated during approach to runway 05. The airplane's landing lights became visible on short final. The airplane pitched up and rolled to the right, then descended nose-down into a ravine on the right side of the runway. Video stopped briefly, then a fire was seen. Witnesses observed the airplane flying extremely low before a "ball of fire" erupted.
Personnel Information
The 69-year-old pilot held a commercial pilot certificate with ratings for airplane single-engine land and instrument airplane. On his most recent FAA second-class medical certificate application, dated April 13, 2016, he reported 4,000 total flight hours with no hours in the previous 6 months. The certificate required glasses for near vision. His logbook (No. 3) showed 11.9 hours since January 16, 2017.
Aircraft Information
The 1970 multi-engine airplane was powered by two Continental GTSIO-520-series engines driving Hartzell PHC-C3YD-2UF propellers. The most recent annual inspection was completed on March 1, 2017, at 2,048.4 hours. The right engine (GTSIO-520-D21CH, serial 219483-R) had total time 2,048.4 hours and time since overhaul 38.2 hours. The left engine (GTSIO-520-H, serial 218284-R) had total time 2,048.4 hours and time since overhaul 430.9 hours.
Meteorological Information
At 0010, CNI reported calm wind, 10 miles visibility, clear skies, temperature 5°C, dew point -15°C, altimeter 30.54 inHg.
Wreckage and Impact Information
The airplane contacted a wire about 380 ft right of the runway, parallel to it, and came to rest in a retention pond about 420 ft right of the runway centerline and threshold. The nose was crushed aft, left windscreen broken away. Instrument panel crushed left. Flap control was fully extended. Left engine throttle full forward, right throttle halfway; left mixture full rich, right mixture halfway; left propeller control halfway, right propeller full forward. Left fuel selector on left main, right on right main. Flight control continuity was established.
Left wing outboard of nacelle showed postimpact fire damage; fire exposed intact main fuel tank. Left nacelle also fire-damaged. Flaps extended. Right wing remained intact with minor fire damage near nacelle. Fuel observed in right main, auxiliary, and nacelle locker tanks; about 25 gallons drained. Right main fuel tank exhibited striations and flattening consistent with wire contact. Leading edge damage on right wing consistent with wire contact. A power wire was wrapped around right main landing gear. Flaps extended. Empennage remained attached; both horizontal stabilizers buckled.
All three landing gear broke away at struts; trunnions down; cockpit gear handle down.
Left engine partially attached with impact and thermal damage. Crankcase intact; cylinders attached; bore inspection showed no anomalies. Crankshaft rotated; thumb compression and suction on all cylinders. Overhead components normal. External components (fuel pump, throttle, metering unit, magnetos) thermally damaged. Ignition harness damage to No. 2 and No. 6 leads. Spark plugs normal. Magnetos produced spark on all posts. Left turbocharger attached; wastegate undamaged; no anomalies. Exhaust impact damage, no leaks.
Right engine partially attached with impact and thermal damage. Cylinders attached; borescope normal. Crankshaft had thumb compression and suction. Overhead components normal. External components impact/thermal damaged. Ignition harness partially severed on No. 6 lead. Magnetos produced spark. Spark plugs normal. Turbocharger and wastegate undamaged; rotation continuity established; no induction or exhaust leaks.
Propellers on both engines had chordwise/rotational scoring, leading edge gouging, bending aft, twisting toward low pitch. One blade on each propeller had fractured tip; two blades on each had fractured pitch change knobs indicating forced rotation toward low pitch. Preload plate impact marks similar, indicating operation near low pitch stop. No pre-impact discrepancies noted; damage consistent with high impact forces.
A JPI FS-450 fuel monitoring device was recovered but thermally damaged; could not power on; no data obtained.
Medical and Pathological Information
An autopsy by the Georgia Bureau of Investigation noted cause of death as multiple blunt force trauma. Forensic toxicology by the FAA identified atorvastatin in liver and cavity blood. Clonazepam and its metabolite 7-aminoclonazepam, hydrocodone and dihydrocodeine, diphenhydramine, nortriptyline, and temazepam were identified in liver. In cavity blood: 0.031 ug/ml of 7-aminoclonazepam, 0.016 ug/ml of hydrocodone, unquantified dihydrocodeine, 0.129 ug/ml of diphenhydramine, unquantified nortriptyline, and 0.068 ug/ml of temazepam. The testing identified evidence of the pilot having used five different impairing medications.
Clonazepam is a sedating benzodiazepine (Klonopin) used for panic disorder and epilepsy, a Schedule IV substance. It carries warnings about CNS depression and impaired performance.
Hydrocodone is an opioid pain medication (Schedule II) with risks of addiction, abuse, and profound sedation when combined with CNS depressants. Psychoactive blood levels are between 0.01 and 0.05 ug/ml.
Diphenhydramine is a sedating antihistamine (Benadryl, Unisom) that may impair mental/physical abilities; marked sedation; therapeutic range 0.0250-0.1120 ug/ml. It undergoes postmortem redistribution.
Nortriptyline is a tricyclic antidepressant (Pamelor) with warnings about impaired performance.
Temazepam is a sedating benzodiazepine (Restoril, Schedule IV) for insomnia, with a black box warning about opioid co-use and sleep-driving risks. Psychoactive blood levels 0.017-0.132 ug/ml.