Cessna 421 accident near Coral Springs, Florida, September 2, 1987
On September 2, 1987 at about 8:15 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N421DT, was destroyed in an accident near Coral Springs, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 2, 1987 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Coral Springs, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N421DT · no longer on the register · serial 421-0017
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT HAD BEEN ABANDONED IN THE BAHAMAS FOR APRX 7 MONTHS. A PLT, WITH NO KNOWN FLT TIME IN A CESSNA 421, FLEW IT TO FT LAUDERDALE. EXCEPT TO AVOID CLDS, HE MADE THE FLT AT A LOW ALT & AIRSPEED. WHEN ASKED WHY, HE SAID HE WAS TRYING TO SAVE THE ENGS. THE PLT THEN DEPD TWD AN AREA OF DARK CLDS & TSTMS. WHEN HE DID NOT ARRIVE AT THE DESTN, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE ACFT WAS FND 4 DAYS LATER WHERE IT CRASHED IN A STEEP NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. RADAR DATA SHOWED THE ACFT MADESVRL HDG CHGS & WAS RTRNG TO THE DEP ARPT BEFORE IT CRASHED. THE FWD PART OF THE ACFT WAS BURIED IN A SWAMP, BUT THE AFT EDGES OF THE WINGS, FUSELAGE & EMPENNAGE WERE VISIBLE ABOVE WATER. THE PROPS HAD ROTATIONAL DMG; NO PREIMPACT MECH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT. AN EXAM OF THE RGT ENG REVEALED ITS #2 PUSH RODS & ROCKER ARMS/SHAFTS/RETAINERS HAD BEEN REMOVED BEFORE FLT. ALSO, A #2 SPARK PLUG WAS STOWED WITH ITS IGNITION LEAD ATTACHED. THE ACFT OWNER WAS NOT FND. THE PLT'S MED CERT WAS DATED 5/28/85.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,800 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Ft. Lauderdale FL at 7:30 pm
- Destination: X28 New Port Richey FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from FLL, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.