Incident Overview
On July 17, 2025, at about 1600 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 425, registration N425D, sustained substantial damage during a forced landing near Round Rock, Arizona. The aircraft was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor reported no injuries.
Flight and Event Sequence
The flight originated from Centennial Airport (APA) in Denver, Colorado, with a destination of Phoenix Deer Valley Airport (DVT) in Phoenix, Arizona. About 1.5 hours into the flight, while cruising at approximately 26,000 ft mean sea level, the crew heard a loud noise from the left engine, followed by an immediate and total loss of engine power. While troubleshooting the left engine, the right engine also lost total power, as confirmed by torque and engine temperature gauge indications.
Emergency Response
The pilots declared an emergency with air traffic control and attempted to restart the right engine. During these attempts, the primary flight display flickered momentarily, followed by a total loss of electrical power. The pilot initiated a forced landing to an open desert area. During the landing on a dry, rough surface, the main landing gear separated. The aircraft came to rest upright, and the left wing sustained substantial damage.
Post-Accident Examination
The airplane was recovered to a secure facility for further examination. No probable cause has been stated in the available information.