- Date
- June 9, 2019, 12:10 local (18:10 UTC)
- Place
- Moriarty, NM
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N421WLCessna 421
- Defining event
- Landing: Hard landing
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 6, 2019
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20190609017389A
- Case key
- 99617
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 gusting wind conditions, which resulted in a hard landing.
Findings · 3
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 in the multiengine airplane reported that, during approach, he was too high and too fast. He pulled both throttles to idle, and the airplane "got too slow." About 1/4 mile from the runway, he reduced the flaps from full (third notch) to the second notch. He added that, above the runway, he heard the stall warning horn sound and that he then flared the airplane, which landed hard. The left main landing gear and nosewheel tires popped. He was able to taxi back to the hangar without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing spars. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was from 108° at 4 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 08.
Factual narrative
The pilot in the multi-engine airplane reported that, during approach, he was too high and too fast. He pulled both throttles to idle and the airplane "got too slow." About one quarter mile from the runway, he reduced the flaps from full (third notch) to the second notch. He added that, above the runway, he heard the stall warning horn sound, he flared, and the airplane landed hard. The left main landing gear and nose wheel tires popped. He was able to taxi back to the hangar without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wing spars. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the wind was from 108° at 4 knots, gusting to 19 knots. The pilot landed the airplane on runway 08.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N421WL
- Reported as
- Cessna 421 (B)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421B0328
- Built
- 1973
- Airframe hours
- 6,811.5
- Engines
- Continental GTSIO-520-H, 375 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental GTSIO-520-H, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 17, 2018
- Departed
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
- Destination
- 0E0 · Moriarty, NM
- Airport
- 0E0 · Moriarty Muni, runway 08, 7,702 × 75 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Stall warning system, Auto-pilot, ADS-B
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 · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 53
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- June 12, 2018
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 2,480 total · 419 in this make and model · 2,357 as pilot in command · 11 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 70
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Military
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- October 16, 2017
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 6,775 total · 5 in this make and model · 6,100 as pilot in command · 33 in the last 90 days · 12 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 16 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 64 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.40 inHg
- Observed at
- KCQC, 17 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 18, 2019, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 3.7 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.