Cessna 421C accident near Altus, Oklahoma, September 4, 1983
On September 4, 1983 at about 9:07 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N111FN, was destroyed in an accident near Altus, Oklahoma (Altus airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 8 people were 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 4, 1983 · about 9:07 pm local time
- Place
- Altus, Oklahoma · Altus · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 8 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N111FN · registry record · serial 421C 0321
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT INITIATED A TAKEOFF ON A HOT AFTERNOON WITH 7 PASSENGERS ON BOARD. SHORTLY AFTER LEFT-OFF, 2 WITNESSES OBSERVED WHAT THEY DESCRIBED AS A PUFF OF BLACK SMOKE FROM THE RIGHT ENG. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT RURNED TO THE LEFT BEFORE CROSSING THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY AT LOW ALTITUDE & LOW SPEED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT ROLLED RAPIDLY TO THE LEFT & IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A NEAR FLAT ATTITUDE, WITH A HIGH RATE OF SINK, AND SUFFICIENT FORWARD VELOCITY TO SLIDE OR BOUNCE ABOUT 70 FT BEFORE COMING TO REST & BURNING. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE, INCLUDING TEARDOWNS OF BOTH ENGS, REVEALED NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 80 LBS BELOW ITS MAX DESIGN GROSS WT. ITS CENTER OF GRAVITY WAS COMPUTED TO BE 1.45 INCHES AFT OF ITS REAR LIMIT. THE TEMP WAS 101 DEG & THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 4000 FT.
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: 7,620 hours in all; 269 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,505 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, April 18, 1983; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO 520L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Osage Aviation Services INC.
The flight
- Destination: BVO Bartlesville OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 15 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Observation at 8:55 pm from LTS, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.