Cessna 421B accident near San Andreas, California, November 29, 1991
On November 29, 1991 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N421DP, was substantially damaged in an accident near San Andreas, California (Calaveras airport). It was a personal 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 INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE AIRPLANE'S CHECKLIST. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS THE DARK NIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1991 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- San Andreas, California · Calaveras · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N421DP · no longer on the register · serial 421B-0353
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INDICATED THAT DURING HIS NIGHT TIME PREFLIGHT INSPECTION HE DID NOT PAY CLOSE ENOUGH ATTENTION TO FOLLOWING THE AIRPLANE'S CHECKLIST, AND HE FAILED TO REMOVE THE CONTROL COLUMN'S ELEVATOR GUST LOCK. DURING THE GROUND ROLL PORTION OF HIS ATTEMPTED TAKEOFF, THE PILOT FELT THE PRESENCE OF THE LOCK AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY REMAINED TO DECELERATE. THE AIRPLANE OVERRAN THE RUNWAY'S DEPARTURE END AND COLLIDED WITH A FENCE.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 8,445 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 7,635 as pilot in command; 1,080 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSI0-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TRK Truckee CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,600 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N421DP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.