Cessna 421 accident near Horseshoe Bay, Texas, April 22, 2014
On April 22, 2014 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1968 Cessna 421, registered N866BS, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Horseshoe Bay, Texas (Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the drive mechanism for the gearbox motor, which resulted in the gear not extending for the landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 22, 2014 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Horseshoe Bay, Texas · Horseshoe Bay Resort Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421, built 1968 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N866BS · no longer on the register · serial 421-0072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that when he lowered the landing gear handle, he heard a loud bang. He stated that the nosewheel landing gear did not appear to be extended and that he could not be see it using the nacelle mirror. In addition, the green landing gear position lights did not illuminate. The pilot went through the emergency checklist and followed the manual landing gear extension procedure. During the landing, the landing gear collapsed and the airplane skidded on the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. An examination revealed that the drive mechanism for the gearbox motor had failed. An examination of the remaining systems revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,117 hours in all; 686 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 1,931 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 22, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,445 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 2014; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,841 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor GTSIO-520-C (piston); 3,445 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor GTSIO-520-C (piston); 3,445 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KSAT San Antonio TX at 7:00 pm
- Destination: KDZB Horseshoe Bay TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,977 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:55 pm from KDZB, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.