Cessna 421 accident near St. Marys, Pennsylvania, February 22, 2021
On February 22, 2021 at about 4:45 pm local time, a 1984 Cessna 421, registered N84HA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near St. Marys, Pennsylvania (St Marys Muni airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to continue the approach to a snow-covered runway in low-visibility conditions with limited ability to visually differentiate the left runway edge from the snow berm that ran along that side of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 22, 2021 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- St. Marys, Pennsylvania · St Marys Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 C, built 1984 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N84HA · no longer on the register · serial 421C-1407
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After the pilot performed a GPS approach in light snow and with 0.5-mile visibility, the airplane touched down on the left edge of the snow-covered runway and struck a snow berm. The airplane slid along the snow berm before it rotated about 210° and came to a stop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the forward fuselage, the pressure bulkhead, and the floor area forward of the bulkhead. The runway, its markings, and the runway lighting were covered in snow that was 3 to 4 inches deep. The snow depth, combined with the limited visibility, likely resulted in the pilot’s difficulty in identifying the runway edge from the snow berm on the left side of the runway. The notices to air mission (NOTAM) published for the airport did not contain any field conditions noting the snow depth or the snow-covered runway lights. Furthermore, the airport manager, who was new to the position, was not able to issue a NOTAM about the runway conditions because he had not yet been authorized to do so.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › (general) › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 31,000 hours in all; 196 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 1.7 in the last 30 days; 30,600 as pilot in command; 4,200 on instruments
- Last flight review: August 10, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,211 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 19, 2021; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor GTSI0-520-N (piston); 127 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor GTSI0-520-N (piston); 1,364 hours total
- Operator: Wheels Up LLC
The flight
- Departed from: BDR Bridgeport CT at 2:20 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 0.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 700 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.72 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 am from OYM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
5 documents, released by the NTSB on December 19, 2024. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Information from FAA Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Weather Reports and Records | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Records of Published Notices to Airmen (Oym) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.