On August 5, 2018, a Cessna 414 Undesignat (registration N727RP) was involved in an aviation accident near Santa Ana, CA. 5 people were killed. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed while maneuvering in the traffic pattern which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and subsequent spin at a low altitude, which the pilot was unable to recover from. This summary draws on records from NTSB; 12 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
On August 5, 2018, a Cessna 414, N727RP, was destroyed after a steep descent near Santa Ana, California. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured during a Part 91 business flight.
Accident Overview and Flight Sequence On August 5, 2018, at approximately 1229 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 414 airplane, registration N727RP, was destroyed in an accident near Santa Ana, California. The aircraft was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 business flight. The pilot and four passengers on board were fatally injured. Air Traffic Control (ATC) audio from the John Wayne-Orange County Control Tower (SNA) indicated that the pilot contacted the tower at 1225, reporting an altitude of 1,700 feet. The controller initially instructed the pilot to make right traffic for runway 20R. The pilot acknowledged but stated he was unable to land on runway 20L when offered. The pilot was then instructed to hold over the South Coast Plaza, a local Visual Flight Rules (VFR) holding point, and conduct left 360-degree turns. Less than a minute later, the pilot changed his response and accepted runway 20L. The controller instructed the pilot to make a left 270-degree turn and cross directly over the tower at or above 1,300 feet for left traffic to runway 20L. About 23 seconds after this instruction, the controller told the pilot to climb back to 1,300 feet or above. Four seconds later, the pilot transmitted, “emergency, emergency, emergency.” No further transmissions were received. Flight data from the aircraft’s Appareo Stratus 2S ADS-B device showed that at 1929:10 UTC, the airplane was at 96 knots and 960 feet mean sea level (msl). The aircraft began a left turn, with the bank angle increasing from about 15 degrees to 30 degrees over 10 seconds. By 1929:25 UTC, the airspeed had decreased to 73 knots, the altitude to 894 feet msl, and the bank angle had increased to nearly 90 degrees. The descent rate increased rapidly, reaching approximately -5,250 feet per minute at the last recorded data point at 1929:33 UTC, when the altitude was 292 feet msl. Multiple witnesses observed the airplane enter a left bank turn and descend at a steep angle. One witness described the event as looking like the onset of a spin, while another described it as a classic stall and spin. Online video showed the airplane in a steep vertical nose-down descent while rotating to the left. The airplane came to rest in a shopping mall parking lot, striking several vehicles before coming to rest upright about 35 feet from a store entrance. ## Personnel and Aircraft Information The pilot began flying the accident airplane in January 2017. In the six months prior to the accident, the pilot flew the aircraft on 14 flights, totaling about 43 hours. The airplane was modified in accordance with Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) SE4327SW, allowing for operation of 325 horsepower at 38 inches manifold pressure at 2,700 rpm. It was also modified under STC SA09971SC-D with the installation of Hartzell three-bladed constant speed PHC-C3YF-2UF propellers. The Pilot’s Owner’s Manual (POH) listed stall speeds at a gross weight of 6,350 pounds. With gear and flaps up, the stall speed was 81 knots with no bank, increasing to 121 knots at a 60-degree bank. With gear extended and 15 degrees of flaps, the stall speed was 80 knots with no bank, increasing to 114 knots at a 60-degree bank. The POH landing performance table indicated that the landing distance with 45 degrees of wing flaps would be sufficient for runway 20L. ## Wreckage and Impact Information The airplane impacted a parking lot about 1.6 miles northwest of SNA. The wreckage was contained within an approximate 150-foot debris trail. The initial impact point (IIP) was a depression in the asphalt, with a crater about 12 feet away. A propeller blade from the left engine was found in the crater. The main wreckage consisted of the fuselage, right engine, right wing, and empennage. The front of the aircraft and cabin area were destroyed during impact. The inboard section of the left wing separated from the fuselage at the wing root, with the left engine, left flap, and left main landing gear remaining attached to this section. The right engine impacted an unoccupied parked vehicle, displacing it by about 65 feet. The right propeller separated at the hub and was found inside the aft section of the vehicle. Examination of the flap motor revealed that the left and right flap chains had 7.5 links from the sprocket, consistent with about a 10-degree flap setting. The landing gear actuator was observed in the extended position, and impact markings were consistent with the gear being extended. The airplane was configured with left and right main tanks, left and right auxiliary tanks, and a right wing locker. The left and right fuel selector handles were observed between the main and auxiliary tanks. The only fuel tank not breached was the right auxiliary tank, from which about 2.5 gallons of blue, clear fuel were drained. The airplane had been refueled on the morning of the accident flight, with the main tanks topped off and the left auxiliary tank receiving about 15 gallons. The fuel load was sufficient for the flight. ## Engine and Propeller Examination Impact damage was noted on cylinders 2, 4, and 6 of the left engine, with rocker box covers separated on cylinders 4 and 6. A borescope inspection revealed normal operational conditions. Both magnetos were separated from the engine but remained attached to the ignition harness, and spark was observed at all leads when manually rotated. The oil sump sustained extensive crush damage. The top spark plugs exhibited normal wear signatures. The fuel flow divider lines were attached at all cylinder fuel injectors. Examination of the fuel pump revealed no anomalies. The turbocharger remained attached to its housing, but the blades were observed bent. Cylinders 1 and 3 were removed, and rotation was confirmed. The remaining cylinders were also removed, and the crankcase was disassembled. No thermal damage was observed, and all bearings displayed normal wear. The crankshaft and camshaft were removed, and no anomalies were noted. The oil filter was removed and cut open, with the filter folds clear of contamination. For the right engine, cylinder 6 sustained impact damage, and the rocker cover was separated. Both magnetos were separated from the engine but remained attached to their respective ignition harness. All spark plugs exhibited normal wear signatures. The fuel flow divider lines remained attached at all cylinder fuel injectors. Examination of the fuel pump revealed no anomalies. Both magnetos were manually rotated, and spark was observed at all leads. The turbocharger remained attached to its housing, but the blades were observed bent. All six cylinders, the crankshaft, and the camshaft were removed, with no anomalies noted. The oil filter was removed and cut open, with the filter folds clear of contamination. The crankcase was disassembled, and no thermal damage was observed. The bearings displayed normal wear and no anomalies were noted. The propeller examination revealed that both propellers showed signs of rotation, with no indications that either was at or near the feathered position. Leading edge gouging, chordwise/rotational scoring, blade bending, and twisting were observed on both propellers, consistent with rotation. The damage to both the left and right propellers was similar and consistent with a power-on, symmetric condition at the time of impact. ## Cockpit and Post-Accident Findings The cockpit area sustained substantial impact damage, and most instrumentation was damaged and unreadable. The throttles were near the idle/aft position, and the mixture and propeller controls were full forward. Post-accident examination of the airframe and engines revealed no pre-impact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. ## Medical and Pathological Information The Orange County Sheriff-Coroner, Santa Ana, California, conducted an autopsy of the pilot. The pilot’s cause of death was multiple traumatic blunt force injuries. Toxicology testing performed at the FAA’s Forensic Sciences Laboratory was negative for carbon monoxide, ethanol, and drugs.