Cessna 421B accident near Deland, Florida, October 7, 1987
On October 7, 1987 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N8043Q, was destroyed in an accident near Deland, Florida (Deland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. 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
- October 7, 1987 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Deland, Florida · Deland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8043Q · no longer on the register · serial 421B0043
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED TO BE FLYING SLOWLY, THEN ROLL STEEPLY TO THE LEFT AND DIVE INTO AN UNOCCUPIED HOUSE FROM ABOUT 300 FT SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT HAD CONSIDERABLE FLT TIME BUT HE HAD NOT FLOWN THIS MODEL, EXCEPT FOR A 35 MIN CHECKOUT THAT MORNING. THE CHECKOUT CONSISTED OF 3 TAKEOFFS & LANDINGS. THE PLT'S FRIEND, A RATED PLT WITHOUT A MULTIENGINE RATING, SAT IN THE RIGHT COCKPIT SEAT & HAD LOGGED FLT TIME IN THE PLT'S OTHER TWIN AIRCRAFT. A WITNESS STATED THE PLT LOOKED PALE & APPEARED TROUBLED JUST BEFORE THE FLT. THE AUTOPSY OF THE PLT REVEALED THE LEFT MAIN CORONARY ARTERY WAS BLOCKED EXCEPT FOR A 'PINHOLE' OPENING. THE DOCTOR STATED THE CONDITION COULD HAVE CAUSED A SEIZURE BUT COULD NOT SAY WHETHER IT HAD ANY BEARING ON THIS ACCIDENT. NO EVIDENCE COULD BE FOUND TO INDICATE ANY PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WITH THE AIRFRAME, PROPELLERS, OR ENGINES. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 134 POUNDS OVER GROSS WEIGHT.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,000 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 31, 1987
- Maximum gross weight: 7,250 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520H (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: DED Deland FL
- Destination: PGD Punta Gorda FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 6,003 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:49 pm from DAB, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.