Cessna 421B accident near Mineral Wells, Texas, September 28, 2002
On September 28, 2002 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N7926R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mineral Wells, Texas (Mineral Wells airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain a proper descent rate which resulted hard landing and a subsequent failure of the main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 2002 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Mineral Wells, Texas · Mineral Wells · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N7926R · no longer on the register · serial 421B-0370
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the left wing dropped, as the left main landing gear collapsed. The aircraft slid off the left side of the runway and came to a stop shortly thereafter. A pilot-rated passenger, who was seated in the right front seat during the accident, stated that the landing was "normal, [and] the left wing dipped after touchdown like the landing gear gave way." A witness, who was a pilot in an airplane at the approach end of runway, reported that "the approach of the airplane appeared normal until the aircraft was about 5 to 10 feet in the air, at which time the aircraft descent rate started to accelerate. The airplane touched down at a higher than normal sink rate." The airplane bounced after touchdown, and the left main landing gear appeared to collapse. The witness stated, "In my opinion it was a hard landing which would require at least a visual inspection before flying again."
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: 6,148 hours in all; 2,709 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 6,043 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 31, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,062 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2002
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GKY Arlington TX at 3:00 pm
- Destination: MWL Mineral Wells TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.