Cessna 421B accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, July 17, 1991
On July 17, 1991 at about 7:46 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N768RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado (Colorado Springs Municipa airport). It was a business 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
A FRACTURED FUEL LINE AND AN IMPROPERLY PERFORMED ANNUAL INSPECTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1991 · about 7:46 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · Colorado Springs Municipa · 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
- N768RA · no longer on the register · serial 421B0042
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT ENGINE CAUGHT FIRE AS THE PILOT BRAKED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT. A FATIGUE FRACTURE WAS FOUND IN THE WING LOCKER FUEL TANK SUMP DRAIN LINE, ALLOWING FUEL TO FALL ON THE METAL IMPREGNATED BRAKE SHOE. THE AIRPLANE HAD RECENTLY UNDERGONE AN ANNUAL INSPECTION.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command; 3,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,840 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-52O-H (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 11,021 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 65 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.