- Date
- June 17, 1989, 15:00 local (22:00 UTC)
- Place
- Picacho, AZ
- Injuries
- 4 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N421SCessna 421
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 29, 1991
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890617016179A
- Case key
- 26428
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
Failure of the number three exhaust valve on the left engine. A major factor was the high density altitude where the airplane would not operate on single engine.
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 left engine lost power just after takeoff. With the gear and flaps retracted and the left propeller feathered, the airplane would climb slightly. As it passed over green fields, the airplane started a descent. The airplane touched down in a cotton field and the left tip tank burst into flames as it touched the ground. The airplane was consumed by fire. Engine teardown revealed the number three exhaust valve failed. Elevation of the accident was 1,600 feet MST, OAT was 114 degrees f. density altitude was approximately 5,600 feet.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N421S
- Reported as
- Cessna 421
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0063
- Airframe hours
- 5,070
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- William E. Hamilton
- Registered owner
- W.E. Hamilton & Schlitten Hart
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 12, 1988 · 80 hours before
- Departed
- EDS
- Destination
- SEZ · Sedona, AZ
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
- 50
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 25,169 total · 700 in this make and model · 24,000 as pilot in command · 157 in the last 90 days · 52 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Temperature
- 115 °F, dew point 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.