Cessna 421B accident near Sedona, Arizona, March 27, 2026
On March 27, 2026 at about 11:30 pm local time, a 1972 Cessna 421B, registered N799TF, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sedona, Arizona (Sedona 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).
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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
- March 27, 2026 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Sedona, Arizona · Sedona Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B, built 1972 · all 421Bs on the register
- Registration
- N799TF · registry record · serial 421B0324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On March 27, 2026, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 421B, N799TF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sedona, Arizona. The pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the preflight checks, flight from Los Alamos Airport (LAM), Los Alamos, New Mexico, and approach to landing at Sedona Airport (SEZ), Sedona, Arizona, were uneventful. During the pre-landing checks, the pilot observed three green lights, indicating that all three landing gear legs were locked in the down position. After touchdown on runway 21 the airplane began to yaw to the right and progressed to a “heavy pull.” The pilot applied full left rudder to counteract the right yaw, and the airplane remained on centerline, initially. As the airplane slowed during the landing roll, the right yaw resumed and the left rudder correction became ineffective. Subsequently, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted two taxiway signs. All three landing gear collapsed, and the airplane continued through a ditch before it came to rest upright in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage were substantially damaged. The wreckage was retained 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,089 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
The flight
- Departed from: LAM Los Alamos NM at 8:48 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 5,132 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 4:35 pm from KSEZ
Weather report (METAR): KSEZ 272335Z AUTO 17009G18KT 140V200 10SM CLR 30/M12 A3009 RMK AO2=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR26LA145.