What happened
During a recreational flight departing from Port Clinton Airport bound for Put-in-Bay, an aircraft experienced a critical loss of power in its right engine shortly after takeoff. As the engine failed, the aircraft type lost altitude and impacted the ground in the vicinity of the runway.
There were 16 occupants on board during the incident. While all passengers and crew members were successfully evacuated from the wreckage, the accident resulted in one serious injury among the passengers.
Findings
The investigation into the crash identified several mechanical and operational failures contributing to the loss of control. A primary factor was the failure of the mixture control assemblies, which caused the right engine to lose power during the initial climb phase. This mechanical issue was linked to a failure in the safety wiring, which allowed the mixture control to shift from its proper rich position.
Several maintenance-related issues were also documented as contributing factors:
- The powerplant had been improperly installed and secured
- Maintenance and inspection procedures were found to be inadequate
- The electrical or mechanical wires involved were in poor condition
- The pilot failed to maintain the necessary flying speed during the climb following the engine malfunction