Cessna 421 accident near Picacho, Arizona, June 17, 1989
On June 17, 1989 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N421S, was destroyed in an accident near Picacho, Arizona. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE EXHAUST VALVE ON THE LEFT ENGINE. A MAJOR FACTOR WAS THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE WHERE THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT OPERATE ON SINGLE ENGINE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1989 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Picacho, Arizona
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N421S · registry record · serial 0063
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT ENGINE LOST POWER JUST AFTER TAKEOFF. WITH THE GEAR AND FLAPS RETRACTED AND THE LEFT PROPELLER FEATHERED, THE AIRPLANE WOULD CLIMB SLIGHTLY. AS IT PASSED OVER GREEN FIELDS, THE AIRPLANE STARTED A DESCENT. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN IN A COTTON FIELD AND THE LEFT TIP TANK BURST INTO FLAMES AS IT TOUCHED THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE WAS CONSUMED BY FIRE. ENGINE TEARDOWN REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE EXHAUST VALVE FAILED. ELEVATION OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 1,600 FEET MST, OAT WAS 114 DEGREES F. DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS APPROXIMATELY 5,600 FEET.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 25,169 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 157 in the last 90 days; 52 in the last 30 days; 24,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,070 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1988; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,900 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EDS at 10:00 pm
- Destination: SEZ Sedona AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 115°F (46°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
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.