Cessna 421C accident near Mesa, Arizona, October 30, 2008
On October 30, 2008 at about 2:59 am local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N421PC, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Mesa, Arizona (Falcon Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the hydraulic landing gear extension systems due to a ruptured line.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 30, 2008 · about 2:59 am local time
- Place
- Mesa, Arizona · Falcon Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N421PC · registry record · serial 421C0255
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the conclusion of the business flight, the pilot placed the landing gear selector in the down position. The gear did not extend. Then, the pilot attempted to extend the gear using the emergency procedure, and he was similarly unsuccessful. The pilot landed with the gear partially extended. The airplane swerved off the runway and was substantially damaged. An examination of the landing gear system revealed that an aluminum hydraulic line had ruptured at a 45-degree bend near the location of an Adel clamp. The subsequent loss of fluid rendered the primary and emergency gear extension systems inoperative.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,700 hours in all; 156 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 11,660 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 30, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,113 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 2008; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,610 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Continental GSTIO-520L (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental GSTIO-520L (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dry Force INC
The flight
- Departed from: MYF San Diego CA
- Destination: FFZ Mesa AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22L, 5,101 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 2:59 am from FFZ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.