Cessna 421B accident near Amarillo, Texas, April 19, 1985
On April 19, 1985 at about 5:25 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N3380Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Amarillo, Texas (Tradewind airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. 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
- April 19, 1985 · about 5:25 pm local time
- Place
- Amarillo, Texas · Tradewind
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N3380Q · no longer on the register · serial 421B0264
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT GROUND LOOPED FOLLOWING A COLLAPSE OF THE LEFT MAIN GEAR AFTER A LANDING ROLL OF APRX 600 TO 700 FT. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE GEAR REVEALED A BOLT HAD BACKED OUT OF THE GEAR DOWN LOCK ARM WHERE IT LOCKS OVERCENTER.
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: 18,000 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 16,070 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,480 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 27, 1985; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PPA Pampa TX at 4:50 pm
- Destination: TOW Amarillo TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 2,730 ft by 55 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 30 knots, gusting 40
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N3380Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.