- Date
- July 1, 2018, 10:45 local (15:45 UTC)
- Place
- Clifton, TX
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N7625QCessna 421
- Defining event
- Landing: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 5, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20180701008979A
- Case key
- 97664
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's improper landing flare in crosswind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that, during short final, while approaching the runway threshold, he reduced the engine power to maintain glideslope, added full flaps, and applied a little left rudder to maintain the runway heading. Subsequently, the airplane sank and landed hard, and the nose landing gear collapsed. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both engine mounts, the right wing, tail, and rudder. The pilot also reported that, before the approach, an air traffic controller advised him that the wind at the destination airport was from 190° at 14 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, about 10 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 200° at 14 knots. The airplane landed on runway 14. The Airport Facility Directory advised, "Steep drop off north of runway 14." The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, during short final, while approaching the runway threshold, he reduced the engine power to maintain glideslope, added full flaps, and applied a little left rudder to maintain runway heading. Subsequently, the airplane sank, and landed hard collapsing the nose landing gear. He further reported that prior to the approach, he was advised by air traffic control that the wind at the destination airport was 190° at 14 knots, gusting to 18 knots. The automated weather observation station located on the airport reported that, about 10 minutes after the accident, the wind was from 200° at 14 knots. The airplane landed on runway 14. The Airport Facility Directory advised "Steep drop off north of runway 14." The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane sustained substantial damage to both engine mounts, right wing, tail and rudder.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7625Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 421 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421B0364
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 10,949.1
- Engines
- Cont Motor GTSIO-520-H1, 375 horsepower, reciprocatingCont Motor GTSIO-520-h2, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · September 27, 2017
- Departed
- RBD · Dallas, TX
- Destination
- 7F7 · Clifton, TX
- Airport
- 7F7 · Clifton Muni/Isenhower Field, runway 14, 3,000 × 50 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic flight bag or handheld device, Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system, Onboard weather, Handheld GPS, Electronic primary flight display, Electronic multifunction display
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 19, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,116 total · 1,530 in this make and model · 2,033 as pilot in command · 24 in the last 90 days · 14.5 in the last 30 days · 0.5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 190° at 14 knots
- Visibility
- 9 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.96 inHg
- Observed at
- KACT, 21 nm away
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 27, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.