Digging into Cessna 421 Crash Reveals Missed Safety Issues

Episode 86

The NTSB has finished the investigation into a 2011 crash of a Cessna 421 but the Flight Safety Detectives have issues with the listed probable cause. Further investigation reveals a completely different root cause. Greg, John and Todd go through the details to reveal important aviation safety findings.

While the NTSB cited the failure of right engine cam gears, missed was evidence that the engine sustained a lightning strike. "The NTSB stopped at the obvious and didn't dig deeper," Greg notes.

They dissect the flight, the issues presented handling a fully loaded plane with one engine, known and unknown maintenance issues and much more. They provide safety benefits that are missing from the NTSB report. General aviation pilots will understand the importance of contingency planning to allow for smart decision making when issues crop up in flight.