Cessna 421B accident near Fort Payne, Alabama, December 23, 1982
On December 23, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N3380Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Payne, Alabama (Isbell Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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 23, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Payne, Alabama · Isbell Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3380Q · no longer on the register · serial 421B0264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SCISSORS BOLT & BUSHING PULLED THROUGH THE SCISSORS MOUNT HOLE ALLOWING THE LANDING GEAR TO ROTATE 90 DEG. AN INCORRECT WASHER (STANDARD 5/16 IN) HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN THE SCISSORS ASSEMBLY DURINGRECENT MAINTENANCE. CESSNA PARTS MANUAL CALLS FOR AN960-5/16 WASHER.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 1,851 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,885 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Truman Hicks Leasing
The flight
- Departed from: Chanute KS at 12:30 pm
- Destination: Fort Payne AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N3380Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.