Cessna 421B accident near Savannah, Georgia, December 11, 1982
On December 11, 1982 at about 5:25 am local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N8001Q, was destroyed in an accident near Savannah, Georgia (Savannah Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 1982 · about 5:25 am local time
- Place
- Savannah, Georgia · Savannah Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8001Q · registry record · serial 421B-0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT REPORTED HE WAS ON A MISSED APPROACH & WAS RETURNING TO CHARLESTON "HEADING 360 DEGREES..." THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 1/4 MI SOUTH & 100 FT SHORT OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 27. THE WRECKAGE SCATTER PATTERN WAS ORIENTED ON A HEADING OF 155 DEG. MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURES SPECIFY A CLIMBING RIGHT TURN VIA A 325 DEG HEADING. THE LEFT ENG PROP DRIVE GEAR SHAFT HAD EVIDENCE OF BOTH BENDING & TORSIONAL FAILURE LOADS. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MACHINING OR ROTATIONAL SMEARING.2 OF THE 3 PROP BLADE TIPS WERE BENT AFT ABOUT THE BLADE FACE. THE LEFT TURBOCHARGER HAD A TENSION FAILURE OF THE TURBINE WHEEL SHAFT. NO SMEAR MARKS WERE NOTED ON THE FRACTURE FACE. SINGLE TURBINE BLADE IMPACT MARKS WERE NOTED ON THEHOUSING. THE #1 TACH NEEDLE INDICATED 900 RPM & THE #2 TACH NEEDLE INDICATED 1900 RPM.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H1B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Charleston SC at 11:45 pm
- Destination: Savannah GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27, 9,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.