Cessna 401 crash, May 11, 2012 (4 killed), Chanute
Cessna 401 accident on May 11, 2012 near Chanute, Kansas, United States with 4 fatalities. Cause: A malfunction of the cabin heater caused an in-flight...
- Date: May 11, 2012
- Aircraft: Cessna 401
- Location: Chanute, Kansas, United States
- Fatalities: 4
- Phase of flight: En route
- Cause: A malfunction of the cabin heater caused an in-flight fire and smoke. The pilot did not understand the heater's status after an earlier overheat, and the inspection criteria for the heater were inadequate.
A Cessna 401 flying from Tulsa to Council Bluffs developed smoke in the cabin after the pilot used the cabin heater. The smoke obscured the view, and the airplane's wing struck the ground during an emergency landing in a field, which led to a cartwheel and fire. Four people died, including one passenger who died the following day.