# Accident 19980601026769A: Cessna 421, Little Falls, MN, June 1, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 1, 1998, 18:31 local time
- Place: Little Falls, MN
- Airport: Little Falls/Morrison Co Airport
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 45.9696° N, 94.3605° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.9696&lon=-94.3605&mi=10
- Aircraft: N541N, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N541N-2000-03-31) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 421 (registry code 2076010, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 421
- Reported engine: CONT GTSIO520D
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Pilot flight hours: 6,000 total, 1,500 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CHI98FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA187) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980601026769A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS NOT GAINING ALTITUDE SHORTLY AFTER TAKE-OFF. THE WINGS WERE DIPPING UP THEN DOWN. THE PILOT WAS THEN SEEN TRYING TO BANK LEFT WHEN THE PLANE WENT DOWN INTO THE FOREST APPROX. 1/16 MI IN FROM THE ROAD. THE PILOTS LOG BOOKS HAVE NOT BEEN RECOVERED TO DATE. THE SURVIVING FAMILY HAS BEEN CONTACTED BY THE FAA CONCERNING THE IMPORTANCE OF ATTAINING THE LOG BOOKS. CURT LOGAN, WHO IDENTIFIED HIMSELF AS THE PILOTS BEST FRIEDN, TESTIFIED THAT THE PLANE HAD A FUEL LEAK AND USED WATER IN THE TANK TO FIND THE FUEL LEAK. HE ALSO SAID THAT THE PILOT DID VARIOUS ENGINE WORK PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. (SEE FAX FROM NTSB)                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                        (.4) A WITNESS REPORTED THE AIRPLANE DID NOT CLIMB ABOVE 200 FEET AND REPORTED SEEING THE AIRPLANE 'WOBBLING UP AND DOWN' AS IT ATTEMPTED TO CLIMB. HE REPORTED THE AIRPLANE WENT INTO A SHARP LEFT BANK AND NOSE DIVED DOWN. THE AIRPLANE BURNED UPON IMPACT. THE WRECKAGE WAS LOCATED IN A WOODED AREA ABOUT 3/4 MILE FROM THE APPROACH AND OF RUNWAY 30. NUMEROUS OPEN FARM FIELDS WERE LOCATED NEAR THE AIRPLANE'S FLIGHT PATH. THE WINDS WERE REPORTED AT 240 DEGREES AT 22 KNOTS GUSTING TO 29 KNOTS. THE WRECKAGE PATH WAS ON A 040 HEADING AND COVERED ABOUT 190 FEET FROM INITIAL TREE IMPACT TO THE LOCATION OF THE MAIN WRECKAGE. THE ENGINE INSPECTION DID NOT REVEAL ANY ANOMALITIES TO EITHER ENGINE. THE FLIGHT WAS THE FIRST MAINTENANCE CHECK FLIGHT AFTER THE AIRPLANE HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN FOR 14 MONTHS. DURING MAINTENANCE THE PILOT HAD PUT ABOUT 100 GALLONS OF WATER IN THE LEFT MAIN AND LEFT AUXILIARY FUEL TANKS TO LOCATE A FUEL LEAK. A PLUG WAS INSTALLED IN THE LEFT AUXILIARY FUEL DRAIN VALVE AND THE FUEL TANK COULD NOT BE CHECKED DURING PREFLIGHT FOR FUEL CONTAMINATION WITHOUT REMOVING THE PLUG.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CHI98FA187](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI98FA187), Jun 1, 1998: Cessna 421 (N541N), Little Falls, MN, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: the pilot's continued operation with a known deficiency in equipment.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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