20040923029829A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 421C · Bee Cave, TX · September 23, 2004

Date: September 23, 2004 · 16:18 local
Place: Bee Cave, TX
Phase of flight: Fcd/Prec Ldg From Cruise
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N729DM
NTSB investigation: NTSBFTW04FA243
Reported as: Cessna 421C
Reported engine: Continental GTSIO520N
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 2
Pilot’s flight hours: 14,000 total0 in this make and model0 in the last 90 days

N729DMRegistration cancelled Jan 14, 2009 · Cessna 421CS/N 421C1101 · Built 1981 Airframe modelCessna 421C Engine modelContinental GTSIO-520 seriesTurbo-prop

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

(-23) On September 23, 2004, aircraft N729DM, a Cessna 421C, S/N421C1101, was involved in an accident west of austin in Bee Cave, TX. The aircraft was inbound to bergstrom airport when the pilot reported a rough running engine and was diverted to lakeway airpark because of its proximity. The pilot called back to austin tower and said "I don't think we're going to make it"! The pilot and a female passenger were fatally injured as a result of the impact and post fire. A male passenger survived the crash but sustained serious injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. A copy of this report will be sent to the spm.

As the FAA filed it

(-23) ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2004, AIRCRAFT N729DM, A CESSNA 421C, S/N421C1101, WAS INVOLVED IN AN ACCIDENT WEST OF AUSTIN IN BEE CAVE, TX. THE AIRCRAFT WAS INBOUND TO BERGSTROM AIRPORT WHEN THE PILOT REPORTED A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE AND WAS DIVERTED TO LAKEWAY AIRPARK BECAUSE OF ITS PROXIMITY. THE PILOT CALLED BACK TO AUSTIN TOWER AND SAID "I DON'T THINK WE'RE GOING TO MAKE IT"! THE PILOT AND A FEMALE PASSENGER WERE FATALLY INJURED AS A RESULT OF THE IMPACT AND POST FIRE. A MALE PASSENGER SURVIVED THE CRASH BUT SUSTAINED SERIOUS INJURIES. THE AIRCRAFT WAS DESTROYED. A COPY OF THIS REPORT WILL BE SENT TO THE SPM.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB FTW04FA243Accident · 2 fatalField investigationFinal reportBee Caves, TXThe pilot's improper positioning of the fuel selector valves, which resulted in a loss of power to the left engine due to fuel exhaustion. After the power loss, the pilot failed to follow checklist procedures and did not secure (feather) the left propeller,…Sep 23, 2004 · Destroyed