Cessna 421 accident near Naples, Florida, September 28, 1984
On September 28, 1984 at about 3:52 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N11PM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Naples, Florida (Naples Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 28, 1984 · about 3:52 pm local time
- Place
- Naples, Florida · Naples Municipal
- 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
- N11PM · no longer on the register · serial 421
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CLIMBOUT ON THIS FAA CHECK RIDE THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A NOSE GEAR EXTENSION-RETRACTION MALFUNCTION OF UNKNOWN ORIGIN. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE NOSE GEAR FOR LANDING. ACCORDING TO THE FAA EXAMINER ON THE FLT, THE PIC SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGINES ON FINAL APCH TO MINIMIZE PROP/ENGINE DAMAGE DURING ROLLOUT. HE DID THIS AT A POINT SUCH THAT THE LOSSOF PWR PREVENTED THE ACFT FROM REACHING THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY THRESHOLD. THE SEVERITY OF THE DAMAGE WAS AGGRAVATED BY THE UNDERSHOOT, ACCORDING TO THE EXAMINER. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, HE LANDED IN THE GRASS BESIDE AND NOT BEFORE THE RWY THRESHOLD. THE FAA EXAMINER WAS IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT DURING LANDING TO AID INKEEPING THE NOSE UP DURING ROLLOUT. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, DAMAGE WAS LIMITED TO THE NOSE SECTION (RADAR ANTENNA) AND ONEBLADE ON EACH PROPELLER.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,932 hours in all; 147 in this make and model; 54 in the last 90 days; 2,822 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,201 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1984; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,840 lb
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; scat at 800 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:46 pm from APF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.