Cessna 421C accident near Vancourt, Texas, December 17, 1984
On December 17, 1984 at about 7:03 am local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N6865D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vancourt, Texas. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 17, 1984 · about 7:03 am local time
- Place
- Vancourt, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6865D · no longer on the register · serial 1062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A COMPLETE WX BRF THE PLT DEPARTED INTO KNOWN IFR COND WELL BELOW APCH MIN AT THE DEST ARPT WITH INADEQUATE FUEL RESERVES AND NO FIELD ALTERNATE. AFTER 2 MISSED APCHS THE PLTS DESIRED ALTERNATE WAS BELOW MINIMUMS. EN ROUTE TO A SECOND ALTERNATE AIRPORT A DOUBLE ENG PWR LOSS DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION WAS EXPERIENCED. A GEAR UP FORCED LANDING TO A HIGHWAY WAS PERFORMED AFTER ATC PERSONNEL ASSISTED THE PLT IN ESTABLISHING VISUAL CONTACT WITH THE GROUND.
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: 6,559 hours in all; 211 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 6,514 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 569 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 31, 1984; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: F60 Mcgregor TX at 2:39 pm
- Destination: SJT San Angelo TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:36 pm from SJT, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.