CESSNA 414A — McKinney, TX

What happened

The pilot was departing on a local flight to check newly installed avionics on the airplane. During takeoff, the airplane lifted off within the performance specifications cited in the airplane flight manual. Shortly after liftoff, the pilot reported to air traffic control (ATC) that he had lost left engine power. The pilot continued the takeoff with the landing gear still extended.

A witness stated that the airplane seemed to lose left engine power during the takeoff before reaching taxiway B4, and “yawed left quite a bit.” The remaining runway distance from the B4 taxiway to the departure end of the runway was about 2,600 to 2,700 ft. The witness stated that the airplane was not far past the departure end of runway when it began to turn left.

As the pilot continued the takeoff and attempted the climb out, ATC instructed the pilot to turn right. The pilot responded that he was going to turn left, which was a turn into the inoperative engine and in the improper direction due to the greater left rolling tendency and increased likelihood of a loss of control. As the flight progressed, the airplane ground speed slowed to the airplane’s air minimum control speed (Vmc) when it rolled left and impacted terrain in an inverted attitude. The airplane was destroyed.

Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The examination revealed the left engine fuel tank valve was in the Off position, which starved the left engine of fuel, creating a total loss of left engine power. The left engine propeller was not feathered, and the landing gear was extended.

Although the pilot completed ground and flight training and a proficiency check in the make and model airplane about 4 months before the accident, he failed to ensure proper fuel tank selection, with the fuel selector in the OFF position for the left engine and failed to land on the remaining runway after the loss of left engine power. Following the decision to continue the takeoff, the pilot also failed to follow engine inoperative emergency procedures that would have increased airspeed/climb rate to enable continued flight. The pilot’s actions resulted in a loss of control that led to a Vmc roll and impact with terrain.

An editorial "what led to it / how to avoid it" analysis for this accident is generated separately and will appear here.