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Plane crashes in Yorba Linda neighborhood, 2 dead 2 injured

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YORBA LINDA, Calif. (FOX 11) - A twin-engine Cessna 414A crashed Sunday in a Yorba Linda neighborhood, killing two people, injuring two more,and setting at least one house on fire, according to the Orange County Fire Authority. The plane nosedived onto Canyon Drive about 1:45 p.m., OCFA Capt. Cameron Rossman said. (www.foxla.com) More...

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krschneider
I seem to have a vague memory of an AD on the 414 having to do with turbo exhaust burning through a wing spar....? something like that...? Anyone remember anything like that? A spar failure sure would explain what seems to have happened.
krschneider
Just found some info from AOPA about spar problems & ADs (I'm interested because I flew all the 400 series Cessna for many years). https://www.aopa.org/advocacy/advocacy-briefs/regulatory-brief-faa-proposed-twin-cessna-wing-spar-ads
rstotz
rstotz 2
The AD is AD75-23-08R5 and applied to pretty much all C300 and C400 aircraft. As I recall, it required a 25 hr visual inspection, and 50 or 100 hr pressure test inspection.

I can tell you from experience, one does not want an exhaust leak. The C320 I was flying had such a leak, within 15 hrs of annual inspection where the pressure check and visual inspection was signed off.
The indications on the affected engine were puzzling, and very distracting. Engine was running fine. Fuel P indicator fluctuated, as did manifold pressure indicator. Boot pump on had no effect.

I was VFR and close to an airport. Landed safely. Upon inspection the pin hole in the exhaust elbow was pointed at the firewall and a bunch of wires and lines.

In the end, that damage, along with the firewall and horsecollar were was such that the aircraft was scrapped. Total loss. In retrospect, the proper thing to do was shut down the engine, and assume the worst. Having indicator failures over the years, I did not make that choice, unfortunately. This incident happened me with some 10,000+ hrs, 75% of that in mulit engine piston, turbine nad jet aircraft.

Had I been farther from a VFR airport, or IFR, and given that the engine was running fine, good oil pressure and the rest, the exhaust could have easily burned through to the fuel tank in a very short time.

It could have ended much the same as this C414.
MikeMohle
Mike Mohle 2
Yes all 400 series Cessna's had the same issues to change exhaust manifolds to Inconel back in the 90s. We had a 421B that was affected but sold it before any ADs were issued so I did not keep track after that. The video sure looked like a fire before/during the breakup. Too bad!
WeatherWise
WeatherWise 3
This is a link to very haunting video/audio from a Nestcam. Maybe someone here can gain some insight into what might have happened. https://www.reddit.com/r/flying/comments/amv511/plane_crash_yorba_linda_ca_developing/efq6rjo
krschneider
That audio sounded like only 1 engine to me. I can't help thinking one wing might have failed at altitude. There was one report that radar showed it at 6000 or maybe it said 8000 feet then suddenly began to dive almost straight down. Hard to believe this was not some structural failure.
Dav5049915
Dav5049915 1
(Armchair NTSB investigator)
Sounds like it was in a steep dive at full power, maybe they were disoriented, broke through the cloud layer and saw the ground and pulled too hard. It sounds like the wing folded and broke off which is why the prop sounds like it hit something before stopping, and then pieces are raining down instead of just one impact area as if it broke up at a couple hundred feet.
(/ Armchair NTSB investigator)
bbabis
bbabis 3
RIP to those affected. Loss of control and in-flight breakup will be the finding. The cause will be more difficult to establish. From the Nestcam video posted by WeatherWise it sounds like only one engine running before the breakup. Has anyone found a link to ATC communications?
krschneider
I'm willing to give odds there was no comm to ATC during that descent. If I were flying the thing and a wing came off, I wouldn't be in any mood to be talking on the radio.
bbabis
bbabis 1
I hear ya Karl. If there was normal comm and no calls of engine or other problems before the loss of control and no further comm, a wing separation as the cause could be suspect.
tobinsparfeld
Here is the NestCam Link:

https://video.nest.com/clip/64a943efd2854b6bbabf56d7b337d5ab.mp4

Looks like it broke up well before and was in flames. An object goes to the side, maybe the wing and some objects hit the ground first too.
joelwiley
joel wiley 1
Video has been removed.
n6pe
This is interesting:

http://www.whatdoesitmean.com/index2781.htm
bbabis
bbabis 1
That’s tin foil hat stuff. This story will be strange enough without putting BS into it.
joelwiley
joel wiley 1
Aren't these the guys who said MEN IN BLACK was a documentary?
n6pe
Yeah, it just amazes me how fast they come up with this stuff
n6pe
Apparently the LA Times is reporting the pilot had some problems with the FAA and was disciplined twice by federal regulators for flying in dangerous conditions and lying about his IFR credentials
bbabis
bbabis 1
This story emerging on the pilot and plane is very odd. Could he regularly have been flying around IMC not talking to anybody? Recent plane purchase and name change?
krschneider
What's that 'story'? Got a link?
bbabis
bbabis 1
https://www.heraldandnews.com/news/local_news/la-aircraft-crash-had-local-ties/article_8ca8d96b-0f45-5ed0-87ab-0fafd6e11aa4.html

This is one of many that makes one wonder. The aircraft by paperwork was technically unairworthy. How was maintenance being done? Weather at time of accident IFR yet no flight plan. False ID and name change cause questions. Flim-Flam man or just a bunch of coincidences? Lots to find out yet.

As far as the cause, this security video I believe captured the sounds of the aircraft before the breakup. It comes and goes as if the aircraft is circling or spiraling and rpm rapidly increases as it wraps up.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RSmttRBQ4x0
krschneider
Interesting but not necessarily a smoking gun, so to speak...procrastinating on a registration is very common and unless the rules have changed drastically doesn't invalidate an airworthiness cert. It will also be interesting to find out of the engine & airframe logs turn up...unless they were in the a/c of course...
JimHeslop
Jim Heslop 1
If the logs are in the cockpit, they would have survived as the main cabin was actually intact on the ground.
I’m leaning toward spacial disorientation, icing or medical problem.
bbabis
bbabis 1
One article states the plane was recently purchased. Another says he had the plane for many years. Possibly just moving between shell companies. More questions every day. You have to wonder what his real true aviation background was. Due to the accident investigators will find out.
ah6oy
Jim DeTour 1
This home security camera with audio records the plane out of control. At around 27 seconds into the video you will hear what sounds like a load crack possibly the spar. Audio before whatever the sound is seems to sound like varying flight attitudes.
https://youtu.be/2rMLpzILT2w?t=6s
feote
Ken Jackson 1
Do an N-number search and you will see an FAA notification about possible airworthiness issue. The statement was not specific and is the first I ever saw such. Perhaps a reference to the spar AD?
Hirouchida
Hirouchida 1
The pilot had his ticket suspended for 120 days and then another 30 under a different name. Does anyone know why I cannot see his flight out of Fullerton? My Flight feeder can see planes in the pattern there and I can see his inbound flight.


https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-yorba-linda-plane-pilot-20190208-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1QF6CeTXCWbA6X5SICRz8jlBTeaGWfe2mTVHbQk14r40gEYZF9qnepgL0
ebrites
scott ebrite 1
It looks like the aircraft broke up/exploded in mid air.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/dashcam-video-plane-bursts-flames-211406011.html
fly4rnr
Gary Holden 1
Five people were killed, four in the home and the pilot. Video showed the airplane diving out of the clouds and then the wings coming off.
pzlp11c
David Hast 1
Witnesses were quoted saying the aircraft was intact descending out of a cloud. NTSB said they didn't know where pilot was headed. No flight plan, in the cloud? Busy LA airspace.. Seems like a loss of control stall preceded the rapid descent. I hope the actual cause can be confirmed quickly, and condolences to all affected.
rossselvidge
Ross Selvidge 0
With all the back and forth on the pilot's ID, has anyone wondered about the "witness protection program?"
bbabis
bbabis 1
They give you a new ID, not a false, lost or stolen ID.
bbabis
bbabis 1
Now, if you’re hiding on your own, that’s a different story.
pthomas745
Pa Thomas 0
I'll take Icing for 2000, Alex.
krschneider
Very unlikely. You're not a pilot, are you?
pthomas745
Pa Thomas 1
ATC, FSS. Plenty of icing reports and an active cold front over Socal.
krschneider
If this were a 300 hour pilot with no instrument ticket flying a Bonanza I might buy that possibility but it doesn't pass the sniff test to me.
bovineone
Jeff Lawson 0
This article covers some possible explanations for the crash.

Going Direct: Why Deadly Southern California Cessna 414 Crash Is An Anomaly https://www.planeandpilotmag.com/why-deadly-southern-california-cessna-414-is-an-anomaly
bbabis
bbabis -4
It looks like the story of this pilot might be a black eye for aviation. We'll see what investigators find.
WeatherWise
WeatherWise 5
Not understanding your comment. We have no clue what caused this crash other than the usual speculation. For all we know, he could have had a heart attack at the controls. How does this crash and this pilots situation give aviation a "black eye"?

linbb
linbb 2
Post why as I see nothing in it to do so. Its no different than a train wreck or truck wreck causing deaths either is preventable.
Since you have an ATP you should have known what caused it, weather, flew into a very unstable weather area plane came apart before it ever came into view.
Oh and by the way his wife, she has a business in Klamath Falls Oregon a quilt shop is a very good friend of my wife. They have a home just outside of that town also.
bbabis
bbabis 1
Very sorry for your personal loss. As I said, let's let the investigators do their work.
plysat
(Duplicate Squawk Submitted)

Plane Broke Apart, Exploded In Midair Before Slamming Into Yorba Linda Home

National Transportation Safety Board officials Monday were investigating what caused a small plane to break apart and slam into a Yorba Linda home Sunday afternoon shortly after takeoff, killing five people and injuring two more...

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/02/04/plane-broke-apart-midair-before-slamming-yorba-linda-home-killing-5/

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