Cessna 140 accident near Caddo Mills, Texas, July 22, 2021
On July 22, 2021 at about 2:45 pm local time, a 1946 Cessna 140, registered N84BC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Caddo Mills, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The missing vertical stabilizer hardware, which resulted in a severe uncommanded yawing motion that necessitated an emergency landing, during which the airplane nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 2021 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Caddo Mills, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140, built 1946 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N84BC · registry record · serial 10255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that while on downwind in the traffic pattern, the airplane began to yaw to the right. He immediately took control of the airplane from the student pilot and applied full left aileron and rudder, which reduced the yaw, however, the airplane still would not fly straight. He performed an emergency landing to a field, but shortly after touching down, the airplane nosed over, coming to rest inverted. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. A postaccident inspection found that the forward vertical stabilizer attach bolt (P/N AN4-5A), nut (P/N AN365-428) and shim (P/N 0430010) were missing. (See figure 1) As a result of the missing hardware, the vertical stabilizer became unseated and bent aft in flight, which caused the uncommanded yawing motion. The hardware was not recovered. Figure 1. Fin assembly. The pilot reported that he was unaware of any recent maintenance in the affected area.
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
- Part(s) separation from AC during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Empennage structure › Vertical stab attach fitting › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 750 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 14, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: 1F7 Dallas TX at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 9:40 am from KGVT, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KGVT 221440Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 27/22 A3015 RMK AO2 TSNO T02660225=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on November 16, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.