Cessna 414

Cessna 414
A Cessna 414 Chancellor at Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, 1990
Role	Six/eight-seat light transport
National origin	United States
Manufacturer	Cessna
First flight	1968
Produced	1968-1985
Number built	1070

The Cessna 414 is an American light, pressurized, twin-engine transport aircraft built by Cessna. It first flew in 1968 and an improved variant was introduced from 1978 as the 414A Chancellor.

Design and development

The pressurised 414 was developed to appeal to owners of un-pressurised twin-engined aircraft and was based on the fuselage of the Cessna 421 and used the wing design of the Cessna 401. The 414 is a low-wing cantilever monoplane with a conventional tail unit and a retractable tricycle landing gear. It is powered by two wing-mounted 310hp (231kW) Continental TSIO-520-J horizontally opposed-six piston engines. The prototype, registered N7170C, first flew on 1 November 1968 and production aircraft were available in a number of optional seating arrangements and avionic packages. The name Chancellor was used for models marketed from 1976. An improved variant the Cessna 414A Chancellor was introduced in 1978 with the major change being a re-designed and increased-span wing with integral fuel tanks and an extended nose to give more baggage space.

Modifications

Many supplemental type certificates exist for the aircraft that allow upgrades to improve performance. Common are engine and aerodynamic modifications, including winglets.^[1]

In 1974, American Jet Industries built a turboprop-powered conversion of the Cessna 414, named the Turbo Star Pressurized 414, using Allison 250-B17B engines.^[2] Scenic Airlines of Las Vegas purchased the rights to the design in 1977.^[3]

Thielert has offered engine conversions using their Centurion Engine.^[4] This involves the installation of FADEC-controlled aviation diesel piston engines that run on commonly available jet fuel. Thielert claims increased power and improved fuel economy over other available conventional piston engines.

Variants

414

Initial production variant, 516 built

414A Chancellor

Improved 414 with narrower vertical tail, longer span bonded wet wing without tip tanks, a lengthened nose, re-designed landing gear and powered by two 310hp (231kW) TSIO-520-N engines, 554 built.

Riley Rocket 414

Conversion of Cessna 414 aircraft by fitting two 400hp Lycoming IO-720 engines.^[5]

Operators

Military operators

 Bahamas

Incidents

• American gospel singer Keith Green and 11 other people were killed on July 28 1982 in a Cessna 414 shortly after takeoff at Garden Valley Airport. The NTSB report indicates that the probable cause of the crash was a combination of the aircraft being overloaded (Occupants were 4 adults and 8 children, while the aircraft has only seven seats) and pilot inexperience.^[6]
• American actor Patrick Swayze was involved in an incident in which a Cessna 414 he flew experienced a sudden decompression at 12,900 feet over Arizona. Swayze circled, descended and maneuvered the plane to a rough landing at a housing development under construction, missing a truck by 5 feet and losing much of the right wing due to striking objects on rollout. The NTSB report indicates that the probable causes were the failure of a pressurization duct at altitude (resulting in a loss of cabin pressurization and subsequent mild hypoxia), and carbon monoxide (from both a malfunctioning cabin heater and use of tobacco products in flight). The incident became the subject of much tabloid sensationalism, speculating alcohol abuse during flight and a cover-up attempt by Swayze. An investigation of the incident exonerated Swayze of these suspicions.^[7]

Specifications (414A Chancellor)

Data from Orbis^[8]

General characteristics

• Crew: one or two
• Capacity: up to 8 passengers
• Length: 36 ft 4.5 in (11.087 m)
• Wingspan: 44 ft 1.5 in (13.449 m)
• Height: 11 ft 5.5 in (3.493 m)
• Wing area: 225.80 sq ft (20.978 m²)
• Empty weight: 4,365 lb (1,980 kg)
• Gross weight: 6,750 lb (3,062 kg)
• Powerplant: 2 × Continental TSIO-520-NB flat-six turbocharged piston, 310 hp (230 kW) each

Performance

• Maximum speed: 271 mph (436 km/h; 235 kn)
• Range: 1,528 mi (1,328 nmi; 2,459 km)
• Service ceiling: 30,800 ft (9,388 m)

See also

References

Notes

1. ^ http://www.ramaircraft.com/Aircraft-Engine-Upgrade-Packages/Winglets/SM046C4-SM047C4-Winglets.htm RAM Aircraft Winglet Upgrade
2. ^ Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78, p.398
3. ^ Taylor 1989, 793
4. ^ http://web.thielert.com/typo3/index.php?id=676&L=1 Thielert Centurion Engine Upgrades
5. ^ Taylor 1982, pp. 454–455.
6. ^ http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20020917X03242&key=1 NTSB Report of Keith Green Crash
7. ^ http://www.ntsb.gov/ntsb/brief.asp?ev_id=20001212X21252&key=1
8. ^ Orbis 1985, page 1119

Bibliography

• Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1977–78. London: Jane's Yearbooks. 
• Simpson, R.W.. Airlife's General Aviation. England: Airlife Publishing. p. 190. ISBN 1 85310 104 X. 
• Taylor, John W. R. (1982). Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1982–83. London: Jane's Yearbooks. ISBN 0 7106-0748-2. 
• Taylor, Michael J. H. (1989). Jane's Encyclopedia of Aviation. London: Studio Editions. 
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982-1985). Orbis Publishing. 

External links

• http://www.airliners.net/info/stats.main?id=154