Cessna 421C accident near Avalon, California, August 4, 1996
On August 4, 1996 at about 11:20 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N6209V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Avalon, California (Catalina airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to initiate a go-around when a landing overshoot became apparent. Factors which contributed to the accident were: the pilot's excessive airspeed and misjudged distance during landing, his lack of flying experience in the Cessna, and overconfidence in his personal ability.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1996 · about 11:20 pm local time
- Place
- Avalon, California · Catalina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N6209V · no longer on the register · serial 421C0324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the airport's acting tower manager, the airplane's landing approach 'looked good' but was 'a lot faster than most twin-engine airplanes.' The airplane 'appeared to float,' and it did not touchdown until reaching midfield on the 3,240-foot-long runway. A pilot-witness who was standing on the ramp similarly reported that the airplane's approach speed was fast, and also noted that as the airplane passed midfield its nose wheel had not been lowered to the pavement. The pilot report that after touchdown he applied brakes, and although the airplane slowed he was unable to stop before exiting off the runway's departure end. The airplane went down an embankment, collided with rough terrain, and came to rest approximately 120 feet southwest of the runway's end. The pilot previously had landed at the Santa Monica Municipal Airport. According to the FAA, at Santa Monica the airplane touched down about 1,000 feet prior to the end of that 4,987-foot-long runway. Three months earlier, the pilot received a multiengine class rating. At that time, he indicated his total multiengine flying experience was 23 hours of dual instruction.
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: 248 hours in all; 134 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 10:53 pm
- Destination: AVX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,240 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:20 pm from AVX, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N6209V 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.