What happened
On April 2, 2002, a Cessna 421C was performing an IFR/VFR flight from Ljubljana, Slovenia, to Egelsbach, Germany. During the final approach to runway 27, approximately 0.7 NM from the threshold, the aircraft experienced a loss of manifold pressure followed by the failure of the right engine.
At the time of the failure, the aircraft was in a landing configuration with the landing gear extended and flaps set. Due to the low altitude and configuration, the pilot elected to continue the approach rather than attempting a go-around or diverting to Frankfurt. The aircraft touched down near the runway centerline markings. Despite heavy braking, the aircraft failed to stop within the remaining runway length and overran the end of the pavement. The aircraft eventually came to rest in a bushy embankment near the Hegbach stream. There were no injuries among the three occupants, though the aircraft sustained heavy damage to the nose section, landing gear, wings, and the right engine mounts.
The investigation
The BFU examined the aircraft and the engine components on-site. The investigation focused on the cause of the right engine failure and the factors contributing to the runway excursion. The investigation included an analysis of the aircraft's maintenance history, which noted a recent oil leak repair on the right engine cylinder just weeks prior to the accident. Fuel samples were also analyzed by the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAuA).