# NTSB NYC89LA191: Cessna 421C, N211PB, Waterville, ME, August 6, 1989

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 6, 1989, 12:00 local (16:00 UTC)
- Place: Waterville, ME
- Location: 44.5333° N, 69.6755° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs at WATERVILLE RGNL (WVL), within about a mile (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.5333&lon=-69.6755&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report September 30, 1992
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 36458
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC89LA191
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/36458/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC89LA191

## Probable cause

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, HIS FAILURE TO OBTAIN NOTAMS, AND FAILURE OF THE APPROACH CONTROLLER TO PROVIDE A SAFETY ADVISORY ABOUT THE RUNWAY CONDITION.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - planning/decision - inadequate, pilot in command (cause)
  - notams - not obtained, pilot in command (cause)
  - safety advisory - not issued, atc personnel(dep/apch) (cause)
  - terrain condition - soft
- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll

## Analysis

DURING ARRIVAL AT WATERVILLE, THE FLT WAS HANDED OFF TO BRUNSWICK APCH CTL & CLRD FOR A VOR/DME APCH TO THE UNCTLD ARPT.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLT LANDED ON RWY 5, WHICH HE THOUGHT WAS 5500' LONG.  HOWEVER, THE NE 2700' OF THE RWY WAS CLOSED. THE PLT RPRTD THAT HE FAILED TO COME TO A COMPLETE STOP BEFORE REACHING BARRICADES, SO HE EXITED THE RWY TO THE LEFT.  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ENCTRD MUD, GRASS & CONSTRUCTION MTRLS & WAS DAMAGED.  THE PLT HAD RECEIVED A WX BRIEFING BEFORE THE FLT; HOWEVER, HE INTERRUPTED THE BRIEFING BEFORE IT WAS FINISHED & DID NOT OBTAIN INFO ABOUT NOTAMS. THE APCH CTLR DID NOT ADZ THE PLT ABOUT THE RWY COND.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N211PB (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 421C
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 068H
- Airframe hours: 1497
- Engines: CONTINENTAL GTSIO-520-L 375 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Daniel C.Hostetter
- Registered owner: Fentheria Airline Co.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 29, 1989, 47 hours before
- Departed: HVA, HYANNIS, MA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: WVL, Waterville, runway 5, 2,800 × 100 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 46; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 12,000 total, 8,000 in this make and model, 12,000 as pilot in command, 110 in the last 90 days, 48 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 800 ft broken
- Temperature: 61 °F, dew point -0 °F

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19890806031149A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19890806031149A), Aug 6, 1989: Cessna 421C, Waterville, ME, Substantial damage. Swerved off partially closed runway on landing. Unaware of runway NOTAM.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.