Cessna 421B accident near Apison, Tennessee, December 2, 2004
On December 2, 2004 at about 6:24 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N421SD, was destroyed in an accident near Apison, Tennessee. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper identification of a partial loss of engine power on initial takeoff climb resulting in a collision with trees and the ground. A factor was a partial failure of the left engine starter adapter due to overload.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 2, 2004 · about 6:24 pm local time
- Place
- Apison, Tennessee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N421SD · registry record · serial 421BO386
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot (ATP) stated the airplane was between 200 to 300 feet on initial takeoff climb when the right engine lost power and the airplane yawed to the right. The pilot lowered the nose of the airplane to gain airspeed, pulled the right power lever rearward and nothing happened. The pilot did not feather the right propeller and started moving switches in the vicinity of the boost pump switches. The ATP passenger stated, he did not think the left engine was producing full power. He scanned the instruments with his eyes looking at the manifold pressure gauges. "One needle was at zero and the other was at 25-inches. The manifold pressure should have been 39-inches of manifold pressure. The ATP passenger observed trees to their front and thought the pilot was trying to make a forced landing in an open field to their left. The ATP passenger realized the airplane was going to collide with the trees. Just before the airplane collided with the trees, the pilot feathered the right engine. The ATP passenger observed the right propeller going into the feather position, and the propeller came to a complete stop. Examination of the right engine revealed no anomalies. Examination of the left engine revealed the starter adapter gear teeth had failed due to overload.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,475 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 4,250 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
No details recorded.
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,808 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 22, 2004; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3M3 Collegedale TN at 6:18 pm
- Destination: TYS Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 6:35 pm from CHA, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.