Cessna 421C accident near Centerto, Indiana, August 16, 1983
On August 16, 1983 at about 12:25 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N386G, was destroyed in an accident near Centerto, Indiana. It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 7 people had minor injuries. 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
- August 16, 1983 · about 12:25 pm local time
- Place
- Centerto, Indiana
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 7 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N386G · registry record · serial 421C 0251
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING A CLIMB AFTER TAKEOFF, HE ENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT. WHILE MAKING AN ENTRY ON A TRIP SHEET, HE FELT A BUMP & NOTED THAT THE ACFT HAD STARTED TO DESCEND. HE DISENGAGED THE AUTOPILOT & THE NOSE PITCHED DOWN VIOLENTLY.REDUCING POWER HAD AN ADVERSE EFFECT, SO HE INCREASED POWER AGAIN. HE FINALLY LEVELED THE ACFT JUST PRIOR TO IMPACTING IN A FIELD AT CRUISE POWER. THE ELEVATOR TRIM TAB CABLES WERE FOUND TO HAVE BEEN CROSSED BETWEEN THE TAB ACTUATOR & THE PULLEY IN THE TAIL CONE. THE TAB WAS ALSO FOUND FULLY TRIMMED NOSE DOWN. THE ACFT HAD JUST BEEN GIVEN AN ANNUAL INSPECTION DURING WHICH THE ELEVATOR TRIM ACTUATOR HAD BEEN REMOVED, INSPECTED & LUBRICATED. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLT SINCE THE INSPECTION.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,138 hours in all; 97 in this make and model; 101 in the last 90 days; 3,889 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,484 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IND Indianapolis IN at 12:18 pm
- Destination: DCY Washington IN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:41 pm from IND, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 6 |
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.