Cessna 425 accident near London, Kentucky, January 18, 1994
On January 18, 1994 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Cessna 425, registered N303MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near London, Kentucky. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DUE TO FUEL CONTAMINATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 1994 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- London, Kentucky
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 425 · all 425s on the register
- Registration
- N303MC · registry record · serial 425-034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS CRUISING AT AN ALTITUDE OF 18,000 FEET 30 MINUTES AFTER REFUELING WHEN THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER. HE STATED THAT HE WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH INDIANAPOLIS AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER SO HE ADVISED THEM OF THE SITUATION AND REQUESTED A LOWER ALTITUDE. THE CENTER CLEARED THE FLIGHT TO 10,000 FEET MSL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HIS ATTEMPT TO RESTART THE ENGINE WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE LOST POWER. ACCORDING TO THE CONTROLLER AT THE CENTER, THE PILOT WAS NINE MILES FROM THE NEAREST AIRPORT AND HE PROVIDED THE PILOT WITH RADAR VECTORS TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT, AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A WOODED AREA. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AT THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE ENGINES WERE REMOVED TO PRATT & WHITNEY FOR FURTHER EXAMINATION. THE EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE AND ENGINE ACCESSORIES DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY PRE-EXISTING DEFECTS. FUEL SAMPLES WERE REMOVED AND TESTED AT THE LABORATORY AT PRATT & WHITNEY. THE TESTS REVEALED EVIDENCE OF CONTAMINANTS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,758 hours in all; 510 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,589 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 15, 1993; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,760 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-112 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Conquest Charter CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: CRW Charleston WV at 7:30 pm
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: -2°F (-19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from LOZ, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.