10 Jun 20197:21 reconstruction2K views

Fatal Crash After Pilot Reports “Unable to Reduce Power” on One Engine

Timeline

DEPARTURE

The aircraft was operating on a flight during which the pilot reported an inability to reduce power on one engine.

DEVELOPING

The crew and ATC worked through the abnormal engine-power condition.

DECISION / RESPONSE

The aircraft continued toward a landing or diversion while the power problem remained unresolved.

EMERGENCY

The approach phase became the critical part of the flight as the aircraft's available options narrowed.

FINAL SEQUENCE

The aircraft entered the final accident sequence and was destroyed.

OUTCOME

The pilot and other occupants were fatally injured; the investigation record is kept separate from the radio chronology.

Accident facts and aircraft context

On 10 June 2019, a Cessna 425 Conquest I operating a private cross-country flight encountered difficulties during its descent toward its destination.

The pilot reported to air traffic control that he was unable to reduce power on the right engine and later decided to shut it down.

Flight sequence and key events

As the situation developed, the pilot requested to divert to the nearest airport and was cleared to do so, while the aircraft continued a steady descent toward Butler Memorial Airport.

As the aircraft descended to approximately 2,500 feet, the pilot informed ATC that he was struggling to maintain control while the aircraft executed a full 360-degree right turn.

Shortly afterward, he indicated his intention to attempt an emergency landing on a highway.

Witnesses observed the aircraft flying low and slow with both propellers turning and no visible smoke before it suddenly pitched nose-down and crashed into a gravel road near a grain silo, about 3.3 miles from the airport.

Although minor contaminants were detected in the fuel control units, they were not sufficient to cause a malfunction.

Evidence suggested that the aircraft was not configured for optimal single-engine performance, as the landing gear and flaps were extended and the propeller was not fully feathered.

The exact cause of the pilot’s inability to control the aircraft and the loss of control during the final moments could not be determined

Investigation findings

Post-accident investigations found no significant mechanical failures in the airframe, engines, or control systems that would have prevented normal operation.

The reported engine-power problem is the starting point of the fatal sequence, but the radio call alone does not establish why the aircraft could not reduce power. The investigation evidence, rather than the wording of the title, is the proper boundary for causal claims.

How the event developed

The aircraft developed an unresolved engine-power problem during descent. Despite the emergency and diversion attempt, the aircraft lost control before reaching the intended landing area.

Incident date: 10 June 2019
Aircraft / registration: Cessna 425 Conquest I
Investigation status: Accident investigation record ASN226034

Sources

This is a source-based reconstruction using the incident record, investigation material and publicly available ATC/operational records identified in the Sources section.