Cessna 421B accident near Afton, Oklahoma, September 25, 1982
On September 25, 1982 at about 4:50 am local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N8019Q, was destroyed in an accident near Afton, Oklahoma. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- September 25, 1982 · about 4:50 am local time
- Place
- Afton, Oklahoma
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8019Q · registry record · serial 0019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 1930 CDT, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED YUKON, OK ON A DIRECT FLIGHT TO ALTON, IL. IT LANDED AT ALTON AT ABOUT 2200 CDT, AND ABOUT 10 MINUTES LATER, IT DEPARTED ON A RETURN FLIGHT TO YUKON. BEFORE DEPARTING ALTON, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WOULD REFUEL AT SPRINGFIELD, MO WHILE ON THE RETURN TRIP. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO INDICATION THAT THE PLANE WAS REFUELED AT SPRINGFIELD. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED NEAR AFTON, OK AT ABOUT 2350 CDT. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE HAD SEEN THE AIRCRAFT CIRCLING BACK AND FORTH ACROSS THE HIGHWAY AT LOW ALTITUDE, THEN IT WENT INTO A LEFT BANK AND NOSE DIVED INTO THE GROUND. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A NEAR LEVEL ATTITUDE, BUT IN A STEEP ANGLE OF DESCENT. THE FUEL TANKS WERE FOUND TO BE EMPTY. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FUEL SPILLAGE ON THE GROUND, EXCEPT NEAR THE RIGHT TIP TANK. THE LEFT AND RIGHT FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUNDPOSITIONED TO THE RIGHT MAIN TANK.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,750 hours in all; 150 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,200 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Ford Motor Credit Company
The flight
- Departed from: Alton IL
- Destination: Yukon OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.