Cessna 421A accident near Hilton Head Isl, South Carolina, December 11, 1987
On December 11, 1987 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 421A, registered N777RC, was destroyed in an accident near Hilton Head Isl, South Carolina (Hilton Head airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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, 1987 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Hilton Head Isl, South Carolina · Hilton Head · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421A · all 421As on the register
- Registration
- N777RC · no longer on the register · serial 421A0149
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT DEPTED COASTAL ARPT AT NIGHT WITH 400 FT PARTIAL OBSCURATION IN PATCHY FOG. GROUND WITNESSES WHO HEARD ACFT DEPICTED A CIRCLING FLT PATH TO THE RIGHT AFTER TAKEOFF. ENG, PROP & TURBO TEARDOWNS DEMONSTRATED BOTH ENGS WERE OPERATING AT HIGH POWER & NO EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF A PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION. ACFT NEVER APPEARED ON RADAR AND NO COMM WAS ATTEMPTED AFTER TAKEOFF. REVIEW OF PILOT RECORDS SHOWED ATYPICALLY LOW TOTAL INSTRUMENT FLT HOURS. PIC WAS CLEARED TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY HEADING AFTER TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO 2000 FEET.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,970 hours in all; 162 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 4,851 as pilot in command; 852 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1987; 98 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,840 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 49J Hilton Head Isl SC at 3:21 am
- Destination: CJE Cookeville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from 49J, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.