Cessna 421B accident near Stuart, Florida, October 3, 1994
On October 3, 1994 at about 11:53 am local time, a Cessna 421B, registered N701AM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stuart, Florida (Witham Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER RIGGING OF THE LANDING GEAR SAFETY SQUAT SWITCH BY OTHER MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE CONTAMINATION OF THE GEAR SQUAT SWITCH WITH CORROSION AND WATER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1994 · about 11:53 am local time
- Place
- Stuart, Florida · Witham Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N701AM · registry record · serial 80366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF TOWER CONTROLLERS TOLD THE PILOT THAT THEY SAW SMOKE TRAILING FROM THE RIGHT ENGINE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO THE FIELD FOR LANDING, AND LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND OBSERVED THE GEAR DOWN INDICATIONS. ON LANDING ROLL THE GEAR COLLAPSED. AFTER THE AIRPLANE WAS RECOVERED AND PLACED ON JACKS IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE LANDING GEAR SAFETY SWITCH WAS CONTAMINATED WITH WATER, CORRODED AND IMPROPERLY RIGGED.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 430 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,329 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 1994; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-H (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: MTPP Port-Au-Prince OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 29, 5,000 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 am from PBI, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.