Cessna 421B and Boeing 727-232 incident near Columbus, Ohio, November 27, 1983
On November 27, 1983 at about 1:47 am local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 421B (N41097) and Boeing 727-232 (N480DA), were involved in the same incident near Columbus, Ohio (Columbus airport). No one was hurt; 127 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 incident. 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
- November 27, 1983 · about 1:47 am local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · Columbus · map
- Type
- Incident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 127 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N41097 · registry record · serial 421B 0447
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Boeing 727-232 · all 727-232s on the register
- Registration
- N480DA · registry record · serial 20860
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 421B final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING APPROACH TO COLUMBUS, THE B-727 WAS VECTORED TO A FINAL FOR RWY 28L & THE C-421 CLEARED FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 31 WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO 'LAND SHORT OF TWO EIGHT LEFT...' AFTER CONTACTING THE TOWER THE PLT OF THE C-421 WAS TWICE CLEAREDTO LAND ON RWY 31 WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 28L. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED BOTH INSTRUCTIONS. DURING LANDING THE ACFT COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RWYS 31 & 28L. THE PLT OF THE C-421 HAD DIFFICULTY DISTINGUISHING THE INTERSECTION. THE LANDING DISTANCE FROM THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF RWY 31 TO WHERE IT CROSSES RWY 28L IS 3,011 FT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Boeing 727-232 final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING APPROACH TO COLUMBUS, THE B-727 WAS VECTORED TO A FINAL FOR RWY 28L & THE C-421 CLEARED FOR A VISUAL TO RWY 31 WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO 'LAND SHORT OF TWO EIGHT LEFT...' AFTER CONTACTING THE TOWER THE PLT OF THE C-421 WAS TWICE CLEAREDTO LAND ON RWY 31 WITH INSTRUCTIONS TO HOLD SHORT OF RWY 28L. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED BOTH INSTRUCTIONS. DURING LANDING THE ACFT COLLIDED AT THE INTERSECTION OF RWYS 31 & 28L. THE PLT OF THE C-3 421 HAD DIFFICULTY DISTINGUISHING THE INTERSECTION. THE LANDING DISTANCE FROM THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD OF RWY 31 TO WHERE IT CROSSES RWY 28L IS 3,011 FT.
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 for the Cessna 421B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 464 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 328 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,105 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SRO Sarasota FL at 10:00 pm
- Destination: YIP Ypsilanti MI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 5,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:51 am from CMH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
The factual record for the Boeing 727-232 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 14,597 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 29,277 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 142,000 lb
- Seats: 148
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT8D-15 (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ATA Atlanta GA
- Destination: OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28L, 10,700 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 7 | |||
| Passengers | 112 |
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 N41097 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.