Cessna 421 accident near El Monte, California, March 23, 1991
On March 23, 1991 at about 4:12 am local time, a Cessna 421, registered N4071L, was substantially damaged in an accident near El Monte, California (El Monte airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR DURING THE LANDING ROLL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1991 · about 4:12 am local time
- Place
- El Monte, California · El Monte · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N4071L · no longer on the register · serial 4210071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A TWO HOUR LOCAL FLIGHT THE PILOT RETURNED TO HIS HOME AIRPORT FOR A LANDING UNDER VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS. THE LANDING WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED APPROXIMATELY TWO THIRDS THE LENGTH OF THE RUNWAY. THE TOWER CONTROLLER OBSERVED SPARKS EMANATING FROM THE AIRCRAFT'S LEFT WING DURING THE LAST 250 FEET IT WAS ON THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND IMPACTED A PARKED AIRCRAFT BEFORE COMING TO A STOP. THERE WERE NO INJURIES TO PERSONNEL DURING THE ACCIDENT.
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; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 3,995 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 4:13 am from EMT, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.