Cessna 421B accident near Madison, Wisconsin, March 10, 1984
On March 10, 1984 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N41022, was substantially damaged in an accident near Madison, Wisconsin (Dane County airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- March 10, 1984 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Madison, Wisconsin · Dane County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N41022 · no longer on the register · serial 4210402
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WENT OFF THE RWY TO THE LEFT DURING LANDING. THERE WAS A CROSSWIND OF 15-28 KTS AT THE TIME. THE PLT SAID THE ACFT VEERED LEFT AND COULD NOT BE CONTROLLED. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE WAS 464P-26 BOLT AND 5133-4032 SPACER WERE SHEARED OFF BOTH THE LEFT AND RIGHT BELLCRANK ASSEMBLIES. A MECHANIC SAID THESE WERE OVERLOAD FAILURES WITH NO SIGNS OF FATIGUE.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 418 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 1,553 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,906 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 9,005 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 15 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 10,000 ft; scat at 3,600 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from MSN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.