What happened
On December 8, 2012, a Cessna 421C, registration N297DB, crashed during the initial climb phase following departure from North Palm Beach County Airpark (LNA) in Lantana, Florida. The aircraft was being operated by a private individual for a personal flight under Part 91 regulations. No flight plan had been filed for the trip, which was intended to include stops in Okeechobee and Miami.
Prior to the accident, the aircraft had recently undergone an annual inspection and a repainting process at a maintenance facility. Witnesses at the facility noted that the pilot performed a preflight inspection and a brief ground run. During the takeoff roll on Runway 3, the aircraft achieved lift-off approximately halfway down the runway and maintained a standard rate of climb initially.
However, shortly after departing the ground, the aircraft experienced a sudden loss of control. Observers reported that the plane experienced a momentary leftward yaw, followed by an increasing pitch-up attitude. The aircraft then rolled to the left and entered a vertical, nose-down descent, striking trees and the terrain. The pilot sustained one fatality in the crash.
Findings
Witness accounts from the scene, including a certified flight instructor, described the flight behavior as a potential VMC roll. The aircraft's descent was characterized by a rapid pitch-up and a subsequent roll that led to the impact with the ground.