Cessna 414 accident near Palm Springs, California, January 14, 2003
On January 14, 2003 at about 9:59 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N127WW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Palm Springs, California (Palm Springs Regional airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's improper selection of the high boost position for the operating right engine while on base leg to land, which resulted in a loss of engine power of the right engine. Factors associated with the accident are the left engine's loss of power for an undetermined reason, the flight instructor's failure to feather the propellers of the affected engines, and his failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in an off-airport forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 14, 2003 · about 9:59 pm local time
- Place
- Palm Springs, California · Palm Springs Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N127WW · no longer on the register · serial 414-0260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The certificated flight instructor (CFI) was providing multiengine training to one of the two owner/pilots aboard during an IFR cross-country flight. Upon reaching cruise altitude, both left and right engine fuel selectors were turned from the main fuel tanks to the auxiliary tanks. Shortly after selecting the auxiliary tanks, the left engine lost power. Power was restored after the fuel selector was returned to the main tank, and the CFI elected to continue the flight. During approach to land at the destination airport, the CFI simulated a left engine failure by reducing power on that engine to "zero thrust." The left propeller was intentionally not feathered. While on the base leg, about to turn final, the left engine began to surge, pulling the airplane away from the airport. The CFI stated that he took the controls, and increased power on both engines, but the airplane continued to move away from the runway. He stated that the left engine continued to surge, and the right engine began to lose power. He indicated that he turned the boost pumps for both engines from the low to "ON" (high) position without any noticeable difference in power. He did not feather either propeller, and made a forced landing off airport in a sandy ravine. All pilots indicated that there was ample fuel aboard the airplane at the time of the engine problems, and that the fuel tank selectors were on the main tanks. Postaccident inspection disclosed that the left main and auxiliary fuel tanks had been breached during the accident. The right main and auxiliary tanks were intact, with a usable quantity of fuel remaining in the right main. The left engine had damage that precluded a test run. It was disassembled, and no evidence of any preimpact mechanical anomaly was discovered. The left engine driven fuel pump was not tested. The left engine's fuel boost pump ran noisily for a short period, and then overheated. The right engine was successfully run on a test stand. An inspection of the right engine's spark plugs prior to the engine run revealed that the engine had operated in an overly rich state just prior to the accident. The right engine's fuel boost pump functioned normally. The airplane's flight manual cautions that if the boost pump switch is moved to the high position while the engine driven fuel pump is operating, an overly rich condition may result in a total loss of engine power.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,043 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 151 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 9,793 as pilot in command; 7,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,264 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 57 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 2,087 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,658.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2002; 17.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,765 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOA Torrance CA at 7:45 pm
- Destination: PSP Palm Springs CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.06 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from PSP, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 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.