20130516007729A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 421C · Floriston, CA · May 16, 2013

Date: May 16, 2013 · 13:25 local
Place: Floriston, CA
Phase of flight: Descent
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N421W
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR13FA234
Reported as: Cessna 421C
Reported engine: Continental GTSI0-520-L
People aboard: 1
Fatal injuries: 1
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 1,480 total79 in this make and model25 in the last 90 days

N421WRegistration cancelled Feb 13, 2018 · Cessna 421CS/N 421C0868 · Built 1980 Airframe modelCessna 421C Engine modelContinental GTSI0-520-F-KReciprocating

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.

N421W IFR enroute krhv to krno was descending from 17000 ft MSL to 13000 then cleard to 11000. Shortly thereafter the pilot reported that he was in a spin and all contact was lost. A witness stated that he heard the pitch of aircraft engines that seemed to be in a dive but could not locate it with a dark cloud cover and the sound of thunder in the area. As he continued his search he then saw a large puff of black smoke and heard a large crash with engine sounds breaking apart. He then dialed 911 to report the crash.

As the FAA filed it

N421W IFR ENROUTE KRHV TO KRNO WAS DESCENDING FROM 17000 FT MSL TO 13000 THEN CLEARD TO 11000. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PILOT REPORTED THAT HE WAS IN A SPIN AND ALL CONTACT WAS LOST. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE HEARD THE PITCH OF AIRCRAFT ENGINES THAT SEEMED TO BE IN A DIVE BUT COULD NOT LOCATE IT WITH A DARK CLOUD COVER AND THE SOUND OF THUNDER IN THE AREA. AS HE CONTINUED HIS SEARCH HE THEN SAW A LARGE PUFF OF BLACK SMOKE AND HEARD A LARGE CRASH WITH ENGINE SOUNDS BREAKING APART. HE THEN DIALED 911 TO REPORT THE CRASH.

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 WPR13FA234Accident · 1 fatalField investigationFinal reportFloriston, CAThe pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during descent while operating in instrument meteorological conditions.May 16, 2013 · Destroyed