- Date
- August 9, 1990, 13:05 local (20:05 UTC)
- Place
- Concord, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N76SHCessna 421
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 23, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900809031849A
- Case key
- 26894
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 failure to follow the electrical system failure checklist. Contributing to this accident was the total electrical failure for undetermined reasons and the landing gear being unlocked.
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
Shortly after departing Concord airport the pilot experienced an intermittent electrical failure followed by a total electrical failure. During the intermittent phase the pilot electrically extended the landing gear. During the extension the airplane sustained a total electrical failure. The pilot returned to Concord airport and landed. Upon touchdown the main landing gear collapsed. After the airplane came to rest the pilot shut off all electrical switches, including the battery/master switch. The pilot stated that he thought the landing extended to the locked position before sustaining the total electrical failure and was unable to check the landing gear warning lights to determine that the landing gears were down and locked. The pilot did not follow the appropriate checklist and use the handcrank to determine that the landing gear was in fact extended and locked.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N76SH
- Reported as
- Cessna 421
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 0558
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-H, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Calwest Aviaiton
- Destination
- MRY · Monterey, CA
- Airport
- CCR · Concord, runway 32R, 3,951 × 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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,005 total · 75 in this make and model · 816 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Observed at
- CCR
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.