Cessna 421A accident near West Jordan, Utah, August 20, 1983
On August 20, 1983 at about 2:55 pm local time, a Cessna 421A, registered N2239Q, was destroyed in an accident near West Jordan, Utah. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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 20, 1983 · about 2:55 pm local time
- Place
- West Jordan, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421A · all 421As on the register
- Registration
- N2239Q · no longer on the register · serial 421A0039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE PLT ABORTED TWO TAKEOFF ATTEMPTS DUE TO A 'ROUGHNESS' IN ONE ENG. NOT ABLE TO DUPLICATE THE ROUGHNESS DURING SUBSEQUENT GROUND CHECKS, THE PLT DEPARTED. AT AN ALT OF 300 AGL THE LEFT ENG BEGAN TO SURGE AND THE RIGHT ENG, ACCORDING TO THE PLT, 'SEEMED TO BE DELIVERING NO POWER EITHER AND I COULD FEEL THE PLANE DECELERATING.' THE PLT STATED HE TURNED THE ACFT TO MISS A HOUSING DEVELOPMENT. A WITNESS STATED THAT THE LEFT WING DROPPED AND THE ACFT DOVE INTO THE GROUND AT ABOUT 45 DEG ANGLE. INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL ANY REASON FOR LOSS OF ENG POWER.
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
- Flight time: 4,156 hours in all; 132 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 3,996 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,180 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 23, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 6,840 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-540-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: U77 Spanish Fork UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.