Cessna 421C accident near Saratoga Spring, New York, August 25, 1982
On August 25, 1982 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N88572, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga Spring, New York. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- August 25, 1982 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga Spring, New York · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N88572 · registry record · serial 421C0637
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A FLIGHT TO REPOSITION IT FOR AN AIR TAXI OPERATION. THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND (PIC) WAS IN THE RIGHT SEAT WHILE THE SECOND-IN-COMMAND (SIC) WAS FLYING IN THE LEFT SEAT. DURING ARRIVAL TO THE SARATOGA COUNTY AIRPORT, THE AIRCREW WERE CLEARED FOR THE VOR-A APPROACH. ACCORDING TO THE PIC, WHEN THEY ARRIVED AT THE GILLA INTERSECTION AND STARTED TO PROCEED OUTBOUND, THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY WAS OBSERVED ON THE PROCEDURE TURN (SOUTH) SIDE OF THE RADIAL. THEREFORE, THEY ELECTED TO MAKE A COURSE REVERSAL ON THE NORTH SIDE. DUE TO MODERATE TO HEAVY TURBULENCE, THE PIC WAS DISTRACTED AND WAS NOT SURE IF HE SET IN THE CORRECT INBOUND HEADING. AFTER INTERCEPTING WHAT THEY THOUGHT WAS THE PROPER INBOUND RADIAL, A DESCENT WAS STARTED. JUST AFTER BREAKING OUT OF THE CLOUDS AT 1800 TO 1900FT, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES. A MISSED APPROACH WAS MADE AND THE AIRCREW DIVERTED TO ANOTHER AIRPORT WHERE THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THEY WERE NOT SURE WHETHER THE DME WAS ON ALBANY OR CAMBRIDGE.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,138 hours in all; 716 in this make and model; 134 in the last 90 days; 6,964 as pilot in command; 3,962 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 893 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Richmor Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: 1B1 Hudson NY at 10:01 am
- Destination: 5B2 Saratoga Spring NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from GFL, 21 miles away
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.