Cessna 421B accident near Oak Grove, Louisiana, September 6, 1993
On September 6, 1993 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N747BW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oak Grove, Louisiana (Kelly airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
DIRECTIONAL CONTROL NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. FACTORS WERE A FENCE AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 6, 1993 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Oak Grove, Louisiana · Kelly · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N747BW · registry record · serial 421B0303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE FAILED, CAUSING THE AIRPLANE TO VEER TO THE RIGHT AS HE LOST CONTROL. THE AIRPLANE SLID INTO A FENCE ROW AND STRUCK A TREE. ACCORDING TO A FAA INSPECTOR, 'SKID MARKS AT THE SCENE INDICATED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE WAS WORKING PROPERLY.' THE INSPECTOR FURTHER STATED THAT THE CONDITION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM COULD NOT BE DETERMINED DUE TO THE IMPACT DAMAGE.
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: 3,337 hours in all; 515 in this make and model; 73 in the last 90 days; 49 in the last 30 days; 3,225 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,727 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 17, 1993; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTIS0-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLH Greenville MS at 4:39 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 2,750 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from MLU, 90 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.