Cessna 421C accident near El Prado, New Mexico, March 5, 1995
On March 5, 1995 at about 8:55 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N421BL, was destroyed in an accident near El Prado, New Mexico. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S DECISION TO CONTINUE FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS AND THE ENSUING INADVERTENT STALL DUE TO AIRFRAME ICE. FACTORS WERE THE WEATHER CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 5, 1995 · about 8:55 pm local time
- Place
- El Prado, New Mexico · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N421BL · registry record · serial 421C0605
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT OBTAINED A WEATHER BRIEFING FOR THE IFR FLIGHT TO TAOS, NEW MEXICO, AND WAS ADVISED OF FORECAST CONDITIONS FOR LIGHT TO MODERATE RIME ICING AND MODERATE TURBULENCE AT HIS DESTINATION. DURING DESCENT, ABOUT 30 NM EAST OF THE TAOS VOR, AT 15,200 FEET, THE PILOT REPORTED 'LIGHT RIME ICING' AND 3 MINUTES LATER 'FREEZING RAIN.' THE AIRPLANE WAS CLEARED FOR THE VOR DME-B APPROACH TO THE TAOS AIRPORT, AND RADAR SERVICES WERE TERMINATED. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE 7 NM SE OF THE VOR AND 1 NM RIGHT OF THE INBOUND APPROACH COURSE . WEATHER DATA INDICATED THAT THE AIRPLANE ENTERED CLOUDS ABOUT 6 NM EAST OF WHERE 'LIGHT RIME' WAS REPORTED AND REMAINED IN THE CLOUDS UNTIL IT DESCENDED BELOW 10,000 FEET. METEOROLOGICAL INVESTIGATION INDICATED THAT THE FREEZING LEVEL WAS ABOUT 10,700 FEET. RADAR DATA REVEALED CYCLIC VARIATIONS IN THE AIRPLANE'S GROUNDSPEED FROM 120 TO 190 KNOTS, AS IT CROSSED THE HIGH MOUNTAIN RANGE EAST OF TAOS. THERE WAS A PIREP OF SEVERE TURBULENCE ON THE EASTERN SLOPE OF THE MOUNTAIN RANGE.
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: 809 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 1994
- 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
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK at 6:07 pm
- Destination: SKX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,700 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from SKX, 7 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.