- Date
- September 3, 1990, 12:44 local (19:44 UTC)
- Place
- Fallon, NV
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 3 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N7321UCessna 411
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 5, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900903037629A
- Case key
- 26654
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 pilot to perform emergency procedures for loss of engine power (including his failure to feather the propeller of the affected engine). Factors related to the accident were: inadequate maintenance, contamination in the fuel system, and overheat failure of the #1 and #4 pistons in the right engine (from preignition or detonation).
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 acft had recently been returned to svc after 5 yrs in storage. On this flt, it was being used to transport two political candidates on their campaign itinerary. Drg takeoff from rwy 3, the rgt eng lost pwr on the initial climb & the acft dscndd & crashed abt 2 mi se of the arpt. The plt did not complete the emerg proc for an eng failure. There was evidence that he did not feather the prop, did not bank into the good eng, and did not close the cowl flaps on the inop eng. An exam of the rgt eng disclosed overheating & errosion of the #1 & #4 pistons, which resulted in holes in the top edges of the pistons. Also, there were clogged fuel injectors, contamination & corrosion of the fuel injector pump, and contamination & partial obstruction of the manifold valve. Additionally, the absolute pressure ctrl of the turbocharger was found to be incorrectly adjusted. The plt's medical certificate was dated 8/13/86.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7321U
- Reported as
- Cessna 411
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 411 0021
- Airframe hours
- 2,720
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-C, 340 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Robert Seale
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 20, 1990 · 61 hours before
- Departed
- FLX
- Destination
- 004 · Carson City, NV
- Airport
- FLX · Fallon Muni, runway 3, 5,600 × 75 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Medical
- Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,398 total · 88 in this make and model
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 50° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 84 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- NFL, 5 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.
Other investigations on N7321U · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.