Cessna 421C accident near Fairview, Oregon, August 31, 2024
On August 31, 2024 at about 5:30 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 421C, registered N421GP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fairview, Oregon (Portland-Troutdale airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2024 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fairview, Oregon · Portland-Troutdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C, built 1977 · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N421GP · registry record · serial 421C0259
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 31, 2024, about 1030 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 421C, N421GP was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near Fairview, Oregon. The two pilots and one person on the ground were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Prior to departure, the pilot contacted the Troutdale Airport (TTD), Portland, Oregon, Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and requested a visual flight rules departure from runway 25 and to remain within the airport traffic pattern. Review of recorded audio from the TTD ATCT and preliminary radar data revealed, at 1015, the airplane departed runway 25 and remained within the airport traffic pattern. A short time later, the controller queried the pilot about their intentions and stated that the airplane had flown above the airport traffic pattern altitude. The pilot confirmed that he intended to descend and remain in the airport traffic pattern. About 1 minute later, the controller queried the pilot a second time about his intentions, and the pilot responded that he was having “handling problems” followed by a partial radio transmission of “test flight; I can’t get this thing to.” The controller informed the pilot of converging traffic, instructed all other aircraft to standby, and issued a landing clearance to the pilot for runway 7. The controller subsequently queried the pilot and asked if they were able to land runway 7, to which the second pilot onboard responded, “we’re going to try, not sure.” The controller cleared the pilots to land any runway. No further radio transmissions were received from either pilot. Radar data showed that the airplane continued a left descending turn about 2 miles south of runway 25 until radar contact was lost. Recorded surveillance video footage from a camera located about 1.4 miles west-southwest of the runway 25 showed the accident airplane in a descending left turn with the landing gear extended. The airplane was on a southeasterly heading when the left wing struck high tension powerline wires. The airplane continued a southeast heading and impacted a mature oak tree and several residential structures, before postimpact fire ensued (figure 1). Figure 1: Accident site diagram Examination of the accident site revealed that the first identifiable point of contact was high-tension powerline wires about 110 ft in height. The debris path, which consisted of various airplane fragments, vegetation, and residential structure debris was about 703 ft in length and 477 ft wide, oriented on a heading of about 120° magnetic. All major structural components of the airplane were located throughout the debris path. The main wreckage was located within a residential structure. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination.
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
- Loss of control in flight during unknown defining event
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,896 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 2024; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: TTD Troutdale OR
- Destination: SGU St. George UT
- Runway 07/2, 5,399 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KTTD, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KTTD 311753Z VRB03KT 10SM CLR 26/13 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP146 T02610128 10261 20139 58014
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 2 |
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 WPR24FA289.