# NTSB WPR16LA092: Cessna 421C, N21SG, Death Valley, CA, April 13, 2016 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 13, 2016, 11:05 local (18:05 UTC) - Place: Death Valley, CA - Coordinates: 36.460556, -116.879722 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=36.4606&lon=-116.8797&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 13, 2020 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - NTSB case key (mKey): 93014 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR16LA092 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/93014/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93014 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR16LA092 ## Probable cause A runway overrun for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Not determined](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000): Not determined › Not determined · Unknown/Not determined (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 2,247 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/05000000/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The airline transport pilot was landing the airplane at the end of a cross-country flight. He stated that the airplane touched down within the first 500 ft of the 3,065-ft-long runway and that, when he applied the brakes, the right brake felt "very soft" and was "totally ineffective." The airplane departed the end of the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was not examined following the accident and was subsequently ferried to another airport for repair. No information was made available regarding the right brake, and the reason for the brake malfunction during landing could not be determined. ## Factual narrative On April 13, 2016, about 1105 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 421C airplane, N21SG, was substantially damaged during a runway excursion while landing at Furnace Creek Airport (L06), Death Valley National Park, California. The airline transport pilot and two passengers were not injured. The airplane was privately owned and was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the flight, which originated from St. George Regional Airport (SGU), St. George, Utah, about 0945. The pilot stated that the flight was uneventful and that he entered the airport traffic pattern to land on runway 33 at L06. He stated that the airplane touched down within the first 500 ft of runway, and that upon application of brakes, he found the right brake "very soft" and "totally ineffective." The airplane departed the end of the 3,065-foot-long runway and the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was not examined following the accident and was subsequently ferried from L06 to another airport for repair. No information was made available regarding the right brake, and the reason for the malfunction during landing could not be determined. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident report form 6120.1. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N21SG](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N21SG), registered now, S/N 421C0039, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 421C - Registry model: [Cessna 421C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421c) (registry code 2076016) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental GTSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-gtsio-520-series) (registry code 17039, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 421C0039 - Year built: 1976 - Airframe hours: 5576 - Engines: CONT MOTOR GTSIO-520 SER 375 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR GTSIO-520 SER 375 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, January 12, 2016 - Departed: SGU, St George, UT - Destination: L06, Death Valley, CA - Airport: L06, Furnace Creek Airport, runway 33, 3,065 × 70 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Onboard weather, Stall warning system, ADS-B, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; flight instructor, flight engineer, airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 11,000 total, 435 in this make and model, 4,720 as pilot in command, 70 in the last 90 days, 17 in the last 30 days, 2 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 240° at 9 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.05 inHg - Observed at: KDRA, 42 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20160413021519A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20160413021519A), Apr 13, 2016: Cessna 421C, Death Valley, CA, Substantial damage. On April 13, 2016, at approximately 1115 (local), a Cessna 421C (N21SG), operating as a personal flight under CFR part 91, made a normal landing on runway 33… ## Docket (3 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on January 16, 2020, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=93014. 831 KB in all. - Memo for Record - Pilot Statement (item 1, .PDF, 57 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479979&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Memo%20for%20Record%20-%20Pilot%20Statement-Master.PDF - Recent Inspection (item 2, .PDF, 201 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479980&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Recent%20Inspection-Master.PDF - Photos (item 3, .PDF, 574 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40479981&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Photos-Master.PDF 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.