Cessna 421 accident near Concord, California, August 9, 1990
On August 9, 1990 at about 8:05 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N76SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, California (Concord airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM FAILURE CHECKLIST. CONTRIBUTING TO THIS ACCIDENT WAS THE TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS AND THE LANDING GEAR BEING UNLOCKED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 9, 1990 · about 8:05 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, California · Concord · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N76SH · registry record · serial 0558
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING CONCORD AIRPORT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED AN INTERMITTENT ELECTRICAL FAILURE FOLLOWED BY A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. DURING THE INTERMITTENT PHASE THE PILOT ELECTRICALLY EXTENDED THE LANDING GEAR. DURING THE EXTENSION THE AIRPLANE SUSTAINED A TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE. THE PILOT RETURNED TO CONCORD AIRPORT AND LANDED. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. AFTER THE AIRPLANE CAME TO REST THE PILOT SHUT OFF ALL ELECTRICAL SWITCHES, INCLUDING THE BATTERY/MASTER SWITCH. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THE LANDING EXTENDED TO THE LOCKED POSITION BEFORE SUSTAINING THE TOTAL ELECTRICAL FAILURE AND WAS UNABLE TO CHECK THE LANDING GEAR WARNING LIGHTS TO DETERMINE THAT THE LANDING GEARS WERE DOWN AND LOCKED. THE PILOT DID NOT FOLLOW THE APPROPRIATE CHECKLIST AND USE THE HANDCRANK TO DETERMINE THAT THE LANDING GEAR WAS IN FACT EXTENDED AND LOCKED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 2,005 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 816 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MRY Monterey CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32R, 3,951 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:05 pm from CCR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.