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20160413021519A

Accident · Substantial damage
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FAA accident report · Cessna 421C · Death Valley, CA · April 13, 2016

FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal

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Date
April 13, 2016 · 11:02 local
Place
Death Valley, CA
Airport
Furnace Creek
Phase of flight
Landing: Rollout
Operating rules
General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage
Substantial damage
Aircraft
N21SG
NTSB investigation
NTSBWPR16LA092
Reported as
Cessna 421C
Reported engine
Continental GTSIO-520 series
People aboard
3
Fatal injuries
0
Other injuries
0
Pilot’s certificates
Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours
11,500 total435 in this make and model70 in the last 90 days
N21SGRegistered now · Cessna 421CS/N 421C0039 · Built 1976Airframe modelCessna 421CEngine 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.

On April 13, 2016, at approximately 1115 (local), a Cessna 421C (N21SG), operating as a personal flight under CFR part 91, made a normal landing on runway 33 at Furnace Creek Airport (L06). Upon landing rollout, the aircraft experienced reduced brake effectiveness from the right-hand brake. This was follwed by a complete failure of brake pressure and effectiveness of the right-hand landing gear brake. There was not sufficient runway remaining to conduct a safe go-around. Lateral directional control was maintained momentarily with the left-hand brake. As a result, the pilot was unable to completely stop the aircraft on the remaining runway and the aircraft continued off the end of the runway causing substantial damage to the forward aircraft structure, landing gear and propellers. As a result of the accident, no injuries were reported of the pilot or his two passengers.

The investigation revealed evidence on the runway surface of effective braking from the left main landing gear brake system. Inspection of the hydraulic brake system confirmed a lack of brake pressure on the pilot's right-hand rudder/brake pedal.

As the FAA filed it

ON APRIL 13, 2016, AT APPROXIMATELY 1115 (LOCAL), A CESSNA 421C (N21SG), OPERATING AS A PERSONAL FLIGHT UNDER CFR PART 91, MADE A NORMAL LANDING ON RUNWAY 33 AT FURNACE CREEK AIRPORT (L06). UPON LANDING ROLLOUT, THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED REDUCED BRAKE EFFECTIVENESS FROM THE RIGHT-HAND BRAKE. THIS WAS FOLLWED BY A COMPLETE FAILURE OF BRAKE PRESSURE AND EFFECTIVENESS OF THE RIGHT-HAND LANDING GEAR BRAKE. THERE WAS NOT SUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINING TO CONDUCT A SAFE GO-AROUND. LATERAL DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS MAINTAINED MOMENTARILY WITH THE LEFT-HAND BRAKE. AS A RESULT, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO COMPLETELY STOP THE AIRCRAFT ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE FORWARD AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, LANDING GEAR AND PROPELLERS. AS A RESULT OF THE ACCIDENT, NO INJURIES WERE REPORTED OF THE PILOT OR HIS TWO PASSENGERS.

THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED EVIDENCE ON THE RUNWAY SURFACE OF EFFECTIVE BRAKING FROM THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR BRAKE SYSTEM. INSPECTION OF THE HYDRAULIC BRAKE SYSTEM CONFIRMED A LACK OF BRAKE PRESSURE ON THE PILOT'S RIGHT-HAND RUDDER/BRAKE PEDAL.

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 WPR16LA092Accident · No injuriesLimited investigationFinal reportDeath Valley, CAA runway overrun for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.Apr 13, 2016 · Substantial damage