Cessna 340 Safety Record

The private pilot’s loss of control in flight, which resulted in a collision with terrain. Contributing to the accident was the student pilot’s decision to obtain flight instruction from the private pilot and the private pilot's insufficient qualifications to fly or to provide flight instruction in a multi-engine airplane.

The pilot's improper fuel management, which resulted in a total loss of right engine power due to fuel starvation; the pilot's inadequate flight planning; the pilot's failure to secure the right engine following the loss of power; and his failure to properly configure the airplane for the go-around, which resulted in the airplane's failure to climb, an exceedance of the critical angle of attack, and an aerodynamic stall.

The loose fuel fitting on the combustion heater that leaked a lean fuel-air mixture into the nose baggage compartment. The mixture was most likely ignited by the combustion heater, blowing off the nose baggage compartment doors and starting an in-flight fire.

The intentional low altitude maneuvering during takeoff in response to a near-miss with an airplane departing from a converging runway, which resulted in an exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.

The pilot’s failure to maintain airplane control due to spatial disorientation in low-visibility conditions while maneuvering during a missed approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s ineffective use of the onboard GPS equipment.

The pilot’s failure to maintain sufficient altitude to clear a radio tower while maneuvering at low altitude and his decision to make a high-speed, low pass over the gun club.

The pilot’s loss of situational awareness, which resulted in an inadvertent aerodynamic stall/spin after he climbed the airplane back into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s improper decision to continue flight into IMC with malfunctioning flight instrument(s).

The pilot’s failure to arrest the excessive rate of turn into the failed engine, which resulted in a loss of control and subsequent impact with terrain. Contributing to the accident was a partial loss of engine power for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination did not reveal any mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilot's continued visual flight into instrument meteorological conditions and failure to maintain terrain clearance while en route. Contributing to the accident were clouds and mountainous terrain.

The pilot's intentional visual flight rules (VFR) flight into instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), and his failure to maintain clearance from the trees and terrain during climb. Contributing to the accident were the weather conditions of fog and a low ceiling, and the mountainous/hilly terrain.

The pilot's continued flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain altitude during the instrument approach. Contributing factors were the presence of severe icing, moderate turbulence, and low-level wind shear.

The pilot's failure to maintain airspeed during a turn from base to final, resulting in an inadvertent stall/spin. Contributing to the accident was the impairment of the pilot due to the combination of drugs found in his toxicological report.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed to avoid a stall during the final approach to land. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's impairment due to the use of a sedating antihistamine.