Cessna 421C accident near Death Valley, California, April 13, 2016
On April 13, 2016 at about 6:05 pm local time, a 1976 Cessna 421C, registered N21SG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Death Valley, California (Furnace Creek Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A runway overrun for reasons that could not be determined based on the available information.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 13, 2016 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Death Valley, California · Furnace Creek Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C, built 1976 · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N21SG · registry record · serial 421C0039
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was landing the airplane at the end of a cross-country flight. He stated that the airplane touched down within the first 500 ft of the 3,065-ft-long runway and that, when he applied the brakes, the right brake felt "very soft" and was "totally ineffective." The airplane departed the end of the runway, and the nose landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. The airplane was not examined following the accident and was subsequently ferried to another airport for repair. No information was made available regarding the right brake, and the reason for the brake malfunction during landing could not be determined.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 11,000 hours in all; 435 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 4,720 as pilot in command; 1,505 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,576 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 2016
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor GTSIO-520 SER (piston); 1,637 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor GTSIO-520 SER (piston); 1,669 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGU St George UT at 3:45 pm
- Destination: L06 Death Valley CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,065 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KDRA, 42 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on January 16, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Memo for Record - Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Recent Inspection | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.