Cessna 421C accident near Hailey, Idaho, March 2, 2002
On March 2, 2002 at about 2:36 am local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N421DG, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hailey, Idaho (Friedman Memorial airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Water contamination within the aircraft's landing gear hydraulic line(s) which froze and blocked the line(s) preventing extension of the right main gear. A factor was the below freezing environmental conditions which the aircraft was operating in prior to and during the approach and landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 2, 2002 · about 2:36 am local time
- Place
- Hailey, Idaho · Friedman Memorial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N421DG · registry record · serial 421C0456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While on approach to the Friedman Memorial airport (Hailey, Idaho), the pilot of the Cessna 421C lowered the landing gear but failed to receive a gear down and locked indication on the right main gear. He attempted to lower the landing gear utilizing the nitrogen blow down system, again without success. The pilot then executed a landing with the nose and left main gear extended. Post-crash examination revealed a small amount of water in the landing gear hydraulic lines. When the landing gear system was purged and replenished with uncontaminated fluid the gear operated without malfunction both normally and with the use of the blow down system. Temperature at Hailey, Idaho, remained well below freezing before and after the accident.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,680 hours in all; 1,232 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 1,635 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 19, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,898 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 5, 2001; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,560 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental GTSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental GTSIO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 11:30 pm
- Destination: SUN Hailey ID
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 6,602 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 7°F (-14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 am from SUN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.