Cessna 421C accident near Shelbyville, Texas, January 1, 1999
On January 1, 1999 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N234CG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shelbyville, Texas. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The total failure of the aircraft's electrical system. Factors were the thunderstorms, the dusk light condition, and the lack of suitable terrain for the precautionary landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 1, 1999 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Shelbyville, Texas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N234CG · registry record · serial 421C0267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a precautionary landing following a loss of electrical power, the pilot turned the airplane to avoid colliding with a pickup truck, and the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported that while IMC, at 14,000 feet msl, he started preparing for ice penetration and turned on the two propeller anti-ice switches. The right propeller anti-icing circuit breaker popped, and when the circuit breaker was reset, the airplane experienced a total electrical failure. The pilot initiated an emergency descent, and entered into VFR conditions at about 1,500 feet. After about 30 minutes of trying to locate an airport, with it getting dark and thunderstorms in the area, the pilot elected to land on a narrow road with trees on both sides. Testing of the alternator system revealed discrepancies with the left alternator, both voltage regulators, and the right alternator out sensor.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,119 hours in all; 290 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 15,000 as pilot in command; 9,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,894 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1998; 97 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-L1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NEW New Orleans LA at 9:20 pm
- Destination: MLE Omaha NE
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; scat at 2,900 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from OCH, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.