Cessna 421C accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico, May 15, 1986
On May 15, 1986 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N21WL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Albuquerque, New Mexico (Coronado airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- May 15, 1986 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Albuquerque, New Mexico · Coronado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N21WL · registry record · serial 0327
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT WAS LANDING ON RWY 17. PLT SAID HE STRUCK A RABBIT WITH LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND LOST ALL BRAKING ACTION ON LEFT SIDE. PLT USED RIGHT BRAKE TO DECELERATE BUT OVERRAN RWY END AND STRUCK DIRT BANK.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,731 hours in all; 157 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,489 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, May 5, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,020 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:30 pm
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N21WL 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.