Cessna 414A Safety Record

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane during the instrument approach in night instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall/spin. Contributing to the accident were pilot fatigue, the pilot's increased workload during the instrument approach resulting from the lack of glideslope guidance due to an inadequately connected/secured glideslope antenna cable, and the airplane being loaded aft of its balance limit.

The pilot’s inadvertent stall during a missed approach. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s operation of the airplane in forecasted icing conditions without using all of its anti-ice systems.

The pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the trees. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's flight into known adverse weather conditions and the low clouds and visibility.

The pilot's failure to follow the instrument approach procedure. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's descent below the prescribed decision height altitude.

The failure of the pilot to execute the published emergency procedures pertaining to configuring the airplane for single engine flight, which would have allowed him to maintain minimum controllable airspeed (Vmc) and level flight. The pilot's failure to maintain minimum controllable airspeed (Vmc) led to a stall and subsequent Vmc roll at a low altitude. Contributing to the accident was the operator's inadequate pilot training in the single engine flight regime, and the loss of power from the left engine for undetermined reasons.

the pilot's disregard for an in-flight weather advisory, his likely encounter with marginal VFR or IMC weather conditions, his decision to continue flight into those conditions, and failure to maintain an adequate terrain clearance altitude resulting in an in-flight collision with trees and mountainous terrain. A contributing factor was the pilot's failure to adhere to the VFR weather minimum procedures in the company's Operations Manual.

The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane after an undetermined failure of the airplane's attitude indicator. A factor in this accident was fog.

Inadequate maintenance of the cabin pressurization system, which resulted in inadequate pressurization and incapacitation of the pilot due to the hypoxia. Also causal was the pilot's failure to adequately monitor the cabin pressurization system.

INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOKOUT BY THE PILOTS OF BOTH AIRCRAFT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: FAILURE OF THE PILOT OF N9317L TO ILLUMINATE HIS AIRCRAFT NAVIGATION LIGHTS, AND IMPROPER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS BY THE PILOT OF N47WD BY SELECTING THE WRONG UNICOM FREQUENCY TO MONITOR AND ANNOUNCE HIS LANDING INTENTIONS AND POSITION.

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW THE PUBLISHED ILS PROCEDURE AND HIS CONTINUED DESCENT BELOW THE DECISION HEIGHT. DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE RELATED FACTORS.

THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY FLEW OVER AN AREA OF HIGH TERRAIN IN WHICH HE FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE AND HE DELAYED HIS DECISION TO REVERSE COURSE. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISION.