Cessna Aircraft Company

Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

The airplane was operated by the manufacturer and was on a sales demonstration itinerary. On the accident flight the airplane was being repositioned following a demonstration and the two pilots included a commercially licensed manufacturer's sales pilot and a private licensed regional sales distributor. One of the two pilots onboard requested, and received, an abbreviated weather briefing prior to departure, the details of which included an airman's meteorological information notice (AIRMET) for occasional moderate rime ice. He then filed an instrument flight rules flight plan for a route passing over mountainous terrain, with a published Minimum En route Altitude (MEA) for the airway that was above the predicted icing level. The flight plan was not activated and the pilots told a TRACON controller who was providing VFR advisories that they intended to continue under visual flight rules through a mountain pass and open their IFR flight plan after reaching the other side of the pass where the MEA was lower. A review of the mode C reported altitudes flown by the pilots and an analysis of the cloud bases and tops revealed that the flight was likely in at least intermittent, if not mostly solid, instrument meteorological conditions as it flew through the pass. As the flight approached the other end of the pass, the controller advised the pilots that the radar showed they were heading into rising terrain. The controller asked, "Do you have the terrain in sight?" One of the pilots responded, "we're maneuvering away from the terrain right now." After that, radar contact was lost. Recorded radar data showed that the airplane made a righthand turn toward rising terrain while continuing to climb to an approximate altitude of 8,800 feet mean sea level (msl). The last minute of radar data showed the airplane at altitudes of 8,000 feet msl, 8,800 feet msl, and 8,600 feet msl. The last radar return was at an altitude of 7,300 feet msl. An aircraft performance study was accomplished using recorded radar data and aerodynamic data provided by Cessna. Based on the radar data and other relevant information, as the aircraft turned toward the rising terrain, the bank angle steadily increased, until a very abrupt change in pitch consistent with a stall occurred, and the airplane departed controlled flight and descended at a very steep nose down attitude into the mountainous terrain. The airplane wreckage was subsequently located at an elevation of 6,073 feet. Nearby ground witnesses first noticed the sound of the airplane, that then suddenly changed to a high pitched increasing rpm. Witnesses then saw the accident airplane coming out of the clouds almost straight nose down. The witnesses described the weather as cold with drizzling rain and reduced visibility due to the clouds. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure.

Cessna 425 Conquest

The aircraft involved was experimentally configured with 4-bladed props and was on a test flight to determine handling characteristics following a throttle chop to idle power at 50 feet agl. This maneuver had been accomplished twice on the test flight without incident. On the third landing, the pilot later stated, that he retarded the throttles more briskly than on previous approaches. Observers on the plane and on the ground then saw a yaw and a wing drop. The right gear struck the runway first, followed by the left and nose gears. All three gear then sheared off. The aircraft slid to a stop off the runway 975 feet from initial impact. A postaccident teardown of the props revealed no preexisting misadjustments or abnormalities.

Cessna 500 Citation

The aircraft collided with the ground during takeoff. The fuel tank in the right wing ruptured and the aircraft burned while sliding to a stop. The day before the accident the aircraft was washed and the thrust reverser doors were polished. After the service, the reverser doors circuit breakers which had been pulled were not reset. It was company policy to leave circuit breakers out that were pulled during servicing. Prior to flight, the aircraft was loaded and the engines started. The reversed unlock lights on both reverser annunciator panels illuminated. The pilot discussed the situation with the copilot and elected to go. He pushed the light assemblies which unlatched the light housing and put out the 'unlock' lights. After takeoff while the gear was retracting the aircraft yawed right and impacted the ground. All occupants evacuated and after the fire was put out a Cessna Aircraft investigator observed the two thrust reverser circuit breakers in the 'out', open position and partially covered by a flight chart. Both thrust reversers were deployed.

Cessna 501 Citation I

A non-pilot mechanic employed at the manufacturer's facility took off in the aircraft. The aircraft was observed entering a very steep climb and appeared to stall. The nose was lowered and the aircraft turned left and entered a downwind leg to runway 01R. It then turned onto a low base leg and continued to a very low final. After several oscillations in roll the aircraft touched down 557 feet short of the runway and collided with approach light stanchions. The mechanic had been and was, at the time of the accident, under psychiatric care (schizophrenia).

Cessna 404 Titan

The pilot, sole on board, departed Wichita on a test flight. En route, the twin engine airplane entered a steep descending turn then crashed in a field located in Belton, south of Kansas City, Missouri. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Cessna 414 Chancellor

The pilot, sole on board, departed Wichita Airport on a local test flight, accompanied by a second aircraft. Both aircraft were visually checking each others underside when they collided in flight. Out of control, they crashed in a field located in Arlington, Kansas. Both pilots were injured, the one on board the Chancellor critically.

Cessna 441 Conquest

The twin engine airplane departed Birmingham with one pilot and six potential customers on board for a demonstration flight to Mobile. While in normal cruise, the airplane suffered a complete in-flight breakup, dove into the ground and crashed near Demopolis. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all seven occupants were killed.

Cessna 340

The pilot, sole on board, was completing a delivery flight from Wichita to France via Portland and Gander. The approach to Gander was initiated by night and good weather conditions. On final, the pilot descended too low when the twin engine airplane struck trees and crashed few km short of runway threshold. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed. Still owned by Cessna Aircraft, the airplane was on its way to France to be delivered to its future operator Flo Air.

Cessna 340

The pilot, sole on board, departed Kingman-Clyde Cessna Field on a local test flight on this first Cessna 340 prototype. While flying in the vicinity of the airfield, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in an open field. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

Cessna 421A Golden Eagle I

The pilot was completing a local demonstration flight to potential customers. While on a night approach to Findley Airport, he failed to realize his altitude was insufficient when the airplane struck tree tops and crashed in a wooded area located few miles short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were injured.