Cessna 421A N421WB

Summary

On 1 November 1994 at about 21:06 local time, a Cessna 421A registered N421WB was involved in an accident near Sparks, Nevada, United States. 6 people were on board and 2 were seriously injured, 2 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

1 November 1994 at 21:06

Classification

Accident

Location

Sparks, Nevada, United States

Nearest airport

Reno Tahoe International (RNO)

Coordinates

39.5410, -119.7497

Aircraft

Cessna 421A

Registration

N421WB

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Business

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Portland → Palm Springs

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95FA029

2 people were seriously injured.

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF THE FUEL SELECTOR AND SUBSEQUENT FUEL STARVATION.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING THE FIRST LEG OF AN IFR FLIGHT IN A MULTI-ENGINE AIRPLANE. AS THE AIRPLANE WAS ESTABLISHED ON FINAL APPROACH, ABOUT 5 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS AND CANCELED HIS IFR FLIGHT PLAN. MOMENTS LATER, THE RIGHT ENGINE BEGAN TO SPUTTER AND THEN LOST POWER. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE SWITCHED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES TO VARIOUS POSITIONS AND POSITIONED THE FUEL BOOST PUMP TO HIGH-FLOW; HOWEVER, DURING THIS TIME, THE LEFT ENGINE ALSO LOST POWER. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO START BOTH ENGINES, BUT WITHOUT SUCCESS. DURING A FORCED LANDING, THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A POLE, THEN CRASHED INTO A CONDOMINIUM. A FIRE ERUPTED, BUT ALL 4 OCCUPANTS SURVIVED THE ACCIDENT. TWO OCCUPANTS IN THE CONDOMINIUM RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE HAD MOVED THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVES TO THE AUXILIARY POSITION FOR ABOUT 1 HOUR DURING FLIGHT; HOWEVER, THE PASSENGERS DID NOT SEE HIM MOVE THE FUEL SELECTORS UNTIL AFTER THE ENGINE(S) LOST POWER. THE RIGHT FUEL SELECTOR HANDLE WAS FOUND BETWEEN THE RIGHT MAIN TANK AND OFF POSITIONS. THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS DESTROYED BY POST-IMPACT FIRE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.