Cessna 421C accident near Pierre, South Dakota, April 21, 1997
On April 21, 1997 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N283PT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pierre, South Dakota (Pierre Municipal airport). It was an executive or corporate 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 pilot's inadvertent activation of the number one throttle/power control. Factors were: the pilot left the cockpit unattended with the engines running and a wet ramp.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 21, 1997 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pierre, South Dakota · Pierre Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N283PT · no longer on the register · serial 421C0852
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While discharging a passenger on a wet ramp with brakes set and both engines running, the pilot went aft to shut the main cabin door. As the pilot egressed the cockpit, his left foot struck the number one throttle advancing it to takeoff power which caused the airplane to impact a parked vehicle and chain link fence on the ramp.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 25,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,760 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 10, 1996; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,550 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MDS Madison SD at 3:55 pm
- Destination: PIR
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 400 ft
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from PIR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.