What happened
During a flight over Florida, the crew of an aircraft experienced a failure of the right-hand engine. In response to the mechanical issue, the occupants attempted to divert the plane to Pompano Beach Airport to perform an emergency landing. As the aircraft was on its final approach, it became uncontrollable and crashed into the ground, resulting in a post-crash fire. The impact destroyed the aircraft, and all three occupants of the flight were killed.
Findings
Investigations into the accident identified several contributing factors related to mechanical failure and operational errors. The primary cause was an engine malfunction triggered by the failure of a cylinder assembly, specifically the failure of the number nine exhaust valve on the right engine. This led to a complete loss of power in that engine.
Several other critical issues were noted during the investigation:
- The aircraft was operating significantly over its maximum gross weight and was improperly loaded, affecting the center of gravity.
- The crew failed to maintain sufficient airspeed and did not properly feather the propeller following the failure.
- The pilot's decision-making was compromised by poor judgment regarding in-flight procedures and emergency management.
- Environmental factors, including low cloud ceilings and obstructed visibility, hindered the crew's ability to navigate the approach.
- The aircraft also contained a large illegal cargo of approximately 4,000 pounds of marijuana.