Cessna 421 accident near Ithaca, New York, September 15, 2002
On September 15, 2002 at about 11:47 pm local time, a Cessna 421, registered N23RL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ithaca, New York (Ithaca Tompkins Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. A factor in the accident was the wet runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2002 · about 11:47 pm local time
- Place
- Ithaca, New York · Ithaca Tompkins Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421 · all 421s on the register
- Registration
- N23RL · registry record · serial 421C-1094
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While executing an instrument approach, the airplane was in instrument meteorological conditions until reaching about 700 feet agl. Once clear of the clouds, it was lightly raining, there was no turbulence, and both pilots could clearly see the airport. The pilot was advised by the tower controller that it was raining heavily at the airport. The pilot selected landing flaps, and slowed the airplane to approximately 100 knots. The intensity of the rain increased, and the airplane touched down "smoothly" near the runway aiming point and "slightly" left of centerline. The pilot lowered the nose, and "lightly" applied the brakes. The airplane started to hydroplane, yaw left, and then exited the left side of the runway. The airplane slid several hundred feet, and was substantially damaged before it came to a stop. Examination of the wreckage revealed no preimpact failures or malfunctions.
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: 522 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 427 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 20, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: balloon; rotorcraft: glider; rotorcraft: gyroplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 23,000 hours in all; 780 in this make and model; 315 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 4,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,585 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 2002; 54 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,560 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MMU Morristown NJ at 10:45 pm
- Destination: ITH Ithaca NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 6,601 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from ITH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Other NTSB records under N23RL the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC02LA190.