- Date
- November 1, 1988, 16:13 local (Nov 2, 1988, 00:13 UTC)
- Place
- Cabazon, CA
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N3385QCessna 421A
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19881101048789A
- Case key
- 26188
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 poor decision and misjudgement of distance. The separation of the cylinder, failure of the propeller to feather, and impact with wires and a residence were factors in the accident.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The plt contacted the arsa controller for advisories after losing pwr on the right eng over an air force base. The controller advised the plt that his position was near a civilian arpt with limited maintenance facilities and an air force base. The plt advised that he desired to continue to a larger civilian arpt along his route where he could obtain service. The plt then informed the controller that he could barley see the ground and that he was unable to maintain alt due to the propeller not feathering. The acft overflew a small civilian arpt and the plt told the UNICOM operator that he would attempt to land on an interstate hwy. the acft overflew the hwy and impacted an electrical transmission line and collided with a residence. Post accident inspection revealed the right eng #3 cylinder head fractured allowing the head to displace outward 3/8 inch. Fracture resulted from fatigue at threaded area btw head and cylinder. The propeller governor operated normally during functional testing after the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3385Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 421A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421A0115
- Airframe hours
- 2,293
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-A, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Hubert G. Toll
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · August 15, 1988 · 48 hours before
- Departed
- TOA · Torrance, CA
- Destination
- TUS · Tucson, AZ
- Airport
- LSE · Banning Muni, runway 26, 5,200 × 150 ft, asphalt
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
- 55
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 7,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 300° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 66 °F, dew point 54 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RIV, 24 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.