Cessna 340A Safety Record

The pilot’s sudden incapacitation from effects of a previously undiagnosed underlying heart disease, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane and subsequent impact with terrain.

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 pilot's delayed decision to discontinue the takeoff when confronted with abnormal acceleration and airspeed indication; the reason for the abnormal acceleration could not be determined based on the available information.

The pilot’s decision to fly in in conditions conducive to structural icing and her subsequent failure to maintain airplane control during the instrument approach.

Maintenance personnel’s repeated failure to re-rig the main landing gear (MLG) in accordance with the airplane manufacturer's service manual requirements, which resulted in the collapse of the right MLG.

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 inability to maintain directional control during landing due to the left brake's degraded performance due to oil contamination, which resulted from the fatigue failure of an oil line component.

The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during the approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's failure to check the de-ice fluid level prior to takeoff, which resulted in the failure of the de-ice system to clear the windshield of ice.

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.