Cessna 421C accident near Addison, Texas, October 18, 1984
On October 18, 1984 at about 7:52 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N121BT, was destroyed in an accident near Addison, Texas (Dallas Addison airport). It was a personal 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
- October 18, 1984 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Addison, Texas · Dallas Addison · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N121BT · registry record · serial 421C0806
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
APRX 7 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF (AT 1441), THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY & SAID THE L ENG HAD LOST POWER. HE FEATHERED THE ENG,DIVERTED BACK TWD THE ARPT & DSCNDD TO VFR CONDS BELOW THE CLDS. AT 1448, THE PLT SAID HE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT & TURNEDONTO A LEFT DOWNWIND FOR RWY 15. RPRTDLY, HE EXTENDED THE LNDG GEAR & BGN A LEFT TURN TWD THE RWY. RPRDLY, THE ACFT WAS TOO CLOSE IN &/OR THE PLT CHOSE TO MAKE A RGT TURN AWAY FM THE ARPT TO LAND. WITNESSES LOST SIGHT OF THE ACFT DRG THE TURN DUE TO LOW CLDS OR OBSTNS. THE PLT LOST SIGHT OF THE ARPT FOR A SHORT TIME, THEN RELOCATED IT, BUT SAID HE HAD HIS 'HANDS FULL.' SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP DSCNT, HIT THE EDGE (ROOF) OF A BLDG, CRASHED INTO A UTILITYPOLE & THE GROUND & BURNED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE ACFT WAS INVERTED JUST BEFORE IMPACT. AN EXAM OF THE L ENG REVEALED EVIDENCE THE #6 CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED FM OIL EXHAUSTION.ONLY 1 CUP OF OIL WAS FND IN THE ENG & IT HAD A HISTORY OF HI OIL CONSUMPTION.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,620 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: APF Naples FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 7,199 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from ADS, 1 miles away
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.