- Date
- May 3, 1994, 14:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Richlands, VA
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N2211WCessna 421A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report December 2, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940503015989A
- Case key
- 38754
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 hard landing, as a result of the pilot's misjudged rate of descent. A factor related to the accident was the pilot's limited experience in this make and model airplane.
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 pilot stated that the approach was normal. He reported: 'upon touchdown the nose vibrated and went FAR below the normal position. I quickly applied full back pressure on the control yoke and the mains fell back to the runway.' FAA inspectors reported: 'investigation...revealed evidence and aircraft damage consistent with hard landing impact with runway surface. Pilot had minimal flight experience in [this] model aircraft.' Both wings were observed to be bent down during the examination by the FAA inspectors. The pilot had a total of 6 hours in this model airplane.
Factual narrative
On Tuesday, May 3, 1994, at 1430 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 421A, N2211W, registered to David C. Prince and piloted by David M. Yates, sustained substantial damage during a landing at the Tazewell County Airport, Richlands, Virginia. The pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot performed a landing on runway 07. He said that the approach and landing were "normal." After touchdown, the nose wheel started to "shimmy." He stated that he applied more back pressure on the control wheel to relieve the shimmy and then experienced difficulty maintaining directional control. The pilot reported that the winds were light, but there was some turbulence during the approach.
Inspectors from the Federal Aviation Administration examined the airplane and observed both wing spars were "bent down and the wings were drooping." In a report, Inspector James H. Pool stated:
Investigation...revealed evidence and aircraft damage consistent with hard landing impact with runway surface. The pilot has minimal flight experience in Cessna 421 model aircraft.
The pilot reported that his total flight time in the Cessna 421 was 6 hours.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2211W
- Reported as
- Cessna 421A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 421A-0118
- Airframe hours
- 3,971
- Engine
- Continental GTSIO-520-D, 375 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry · Part 91
- Registered owner
- David C. Prince
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 22, 1988 · 5 hours before
- Departed
- FOK · Suffolk County, NY
- Destination
- GDY · Grundy, VA
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- 6V3 · Tazewell County, runway 7, 4,500 × 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
- 38
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 820 total · 6 in this make and model · 668 as pilot in command · 160 in the last 90 days · 40 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 45° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,000 ft overcast
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.