# NTSB WPR24FA289: Cessna 421C, N421GP, Fairview, OR, August 31, 2024 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Fatal · Class 3 · Field · Preliminary report - Date: August 31, 2024, 10:30 local (17:30 UTC) - Place: Fairview, OR - Coordinates: 45.54353, -122.43804 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=45.5435&lon=-122.4380&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Unknown](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/990) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Unknown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) - Highest injury: Fatal - Injuries: 3 fatal; on the ground: 1 fatal - Status: Investigation ongoing - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: FAA - NTSB case key (mKey): 195030 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR24FA289 - NTSB preliminary report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/195030/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR24FA289 ## Preliminary report On August 31, 2024, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 421C, N421GP was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Fairview, Oregon. The two pilots and one person on the ground were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Prior to departure, the pilot contacted the Troutdale Airport (TTD), Portland, Oregon, Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and requested a visual flight rules departure from runway 25 and to remain within the airport traffic pattern. Review of recorded audio from the TTD ATCT and preliminary radar data revealed, at 1015, the airplane departed runway 25 and remained within the airport traffic pattern. A short time later, the controller queried the pilot about their intentions and stated that the airplane had flown above the airport traffic pattern altitude. The pilot confirmed that he intended to descend and remain in the airport traffic pattern. About 1 minute later, the controller queried the pilot a second time about his intentions, and the pilot responded that he was having “handling problems” followed by a partial radio transmission of “test flight; I can’t get this thing to.” The controller informed the pilot of converging traffic, instructed all other aircraft to standby, and issued a landing clearance to the pilot for runway 7. The controller subsequently queried the pilot and asked if they were able to land runway 7, to which the second pilot onboard responded, “we’re going to try, not sure.” The controller cleared the pilots to land any runway. No further radio transmissions were received from either pilot. Radar data showed that the airplane continued a left descending turn about 2 miles south of runway 25 until radar contact was lost. Recorded surveillance video footage from a camera located about 1.4 miles west-southwest of the runway 25 showed the accident airplane in a descending left turn with the landing gear extended. The airplane was on a southeasterly heading when the left wing struck high tension powerline wires. The airplane continued a southeast heading and impacted a mature oak tree and several residential structures, before postimpact fire ensued (figure 1). Figure 1: Accident site diagram Examination of the accident site revealed that the first identifiable point of contact was high-tension powerline wires about 110 ft in height. The debris path, which consisted of various airplane fragments, vegetation, and residential structure debris was about 703 ft in length and 477 ft wide, oriented on a heading of about 120° magnetic. All major structural components of the airplane were located throughout the debris path. The main wreckage was located within a residential structure. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination. ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Unknown: Loss of control in flight](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 15 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 5,002 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/240/sequence.md) ## Aircraft - Registration: [N421GP](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N421GP), registered now, S/N 421C0259, built 1977 (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 17046, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 421C0259 - Year built: 1977 - Airframe hours: 5896 - Damage: Substantial damage - Fire: In-Flight - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, August 12, 2024, 0 hours before - Departed: TTD, Troutdale, OR - Destination: SGU, St. George, UT - Airport: TTD, Portland-Troutdale, runway 07/25, 5,399 × 150 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Auto-pilot, ADS-B ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 79 °F, dew point 55 °F - Altimeter: 29.96 inHg - Observed at: KTTD, 1 nm away - METAR: KTTD 311753Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 26/13 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP146 T02610128 10261 20139 58014 ## 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 20240831012899A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20240831012899A), Aug 31, 2024: Cessna 421C, Fairveiw, OR, Destroyed, 3 fatal. Portland, OR (ttd): [privacy data omitted], C421, after departing runway 25, aircraft attempted to return. [privacy data omitted] Crashed into town houses 2… 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.