Cessna 421B accident near Shelter Cove, California, July 5, 1992
On July 5, 1992, a Cessna 421B, registered N929DB, was destroyed in an accident near Shelter Cove, California (Shelter Cove airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 4 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT AND HIS FAILURE TO ENSURE THAT THE CONTROL SURFACE LOCKS WERE REMOVED PRIOR TO FLIGHT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 5, 1992
- Place
- Shelter Cove, California · Shelter Cove · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N929DB · registry record · serial 421B-0864
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID HE WAS ON THE TAKEOFF GROUND ROLL AT ABOUT 100 KNOTS WHEN HE DISCOVERED THAT THE CONTROL LOCK WAS STILL IN PLACE. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO REMOVE THE CONTROL LOCK BUT COULD NOT PRIOR TO THE AIRCRAFT OVER RUNNING THE DEPARTURE END OF THE 3,400 FOOT LONG RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A COUNTY SEWAGE TREATMENT BUILDING, SEPARATING THE WINGS FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE AIRCRAFT FUSELAGE CONTINUED THROUGH THE BUILDING AND CAME TO REST ON ROCKS NEAR THE BEACH.
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: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,479 hours in all; 218 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 2,413 as pilot in command; 1,163 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,198 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 7, 1991; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: O05
- Destination: OAK Oakland CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 3, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N929DB the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number LAX92LA279.