Cessna T337G Safety Record

The pilot’s inadequate preflight fuel planning, which resulted in fuel exhaustion and a subsequent total loss of engine power to one of the airplane’s two engines. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s loading of the airplane beyond its maximum gross weight.

The pilot’s failure to properly flare the airplane, which resulted in a hard landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s decision to fly a nonstandard traffic pattern, which resulted in an unstable approach.

The pilot’s exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack while maneuvering with one engine inoperative, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall/spin and impact with terrain.

The pilot’s failure to recognize the airplane’s low altitude and arrest the airplane’s descent on approach to the airport in dark night conditions, which resulted in controlled flight into terrain. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s degraded night vision due to glaucoma and a cataract and his impairment from the use of diphenhydramine.

The reported partial loss of engine power from the rear engine for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.

The pilots’ failure to adhere to the airplane’s operating limitations, which resulted in overload failure of the right wing. Findings of the investigation were the adverse effects of multiple supplemental type certificates (STC) to the airframe wing structure that were not evaluated at the time the STCs were installed and the lack of guidance by the Federal Aviation Administration for multiple STC interaction evaluation.

The pilot's misjudgment of distance and altitude, and failure to attain the proper touchdown point. The pilot's delayed remedial action was also causal.

The pilot’s failure to utilize all of the power available following an engine failure. Contributing to the accident were the failure of the rear engine for undetermined reasons.

The pilot's operation of the airplane with known deficiencies in equipment related to pitch, an abrupt pitch-up during the initial climb after takeoff for undetermined reasons and the failure of the pilot to maintain airspeed (Vs) resulting in inadvertent stall, uncontrolled descent, and in-flight collision with terrain.

Inadequate preflight planning/preparation prior to takeoff, and the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the takeoff. An inadvertent stall and rough terrain were factors.

the pilot intentionally restricting his external vision (turning his cabin lights up bright to practice night instrument approaches), and his subsequent failure to maintain clearance of the mountain. A contributing factor was the Air Traffic Controller’s failure to provide appropriate safety alerts for rising terrain.

the pilot's improper decision to continue VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his failure to maintain clearance from rising/wooded terrain. The adverse weather conditions and rising wooded terrain were related factors.

the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff during an excessive takeoff roll. Factors were the loss of power on the number two engine which occurred for an undetermined reason, the pilot's disregard of the takeoff checklist, and the 25 degree flap setting.

THE PILOT'S CONTINUED FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS, WHICH RESULTED IN AIRFRAME (STRUCTURAL) ICE, A LOSS OF CONTROL, AND SUBSEQUENT IN-FLIGHT BREAKUP OF THE AIRPLANE. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE ICING/WEATHER CONDITION.

WATER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF POWER IN THE FRONT ENGINE AS THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING FLIGHT WITH A KNOWN PROBLEM IN THE REAR ENGINE, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE/INSPECTION OF THE AIRPLANE, PARTIALLY BLOCKED FUEL NOZZLES IN THE REAR ENGINE, AND OPERATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY THE PILOT WITH A KNOWN DEFICIENCY.

THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING THE APPROACH. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE DARK NIGHT.

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT DURING A CIRCLE TO LAND MANEUVER IN REDUCED VISIBILITY CONDITIONS. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS HIS DISTRACTION WHILE RECONFIGURING THE AIRCRAFT FOR A GO AROUND WHICH LED TO AN INADVERTENT ENTRY INTO A STEEP DESCENDING TURN AT LOW ALTITUDE.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT PLANNING AND DECISION, AND DIVERTING OF HIS ATTENTION, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION TO BOTH ENGINES. DARKNESS AND TREES IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WERE RELATED FACTORS.

THE PILOT'S LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL, DUE TO THE LOSS OF COCKPIT/INSTRUMENT PANEL LIGHTING FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON, THE INOPERATIVE PENLIGHT, AND SUBSEQUENT SPATIAL DISORIENTATION OF THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS.