Cessna 421B N781SL
14 December 2000 · Pensacola, Florida, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 14 December 2000 at about 04:27 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N781SL, operated by Lifeguard Air Ambulance, Inc., was involved in an accident near Pensacola, Florida, United States. 4 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 04:27
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pensacola, Florida, United States
- Nearest airport
- Pensacola Regional (PNS)
- Coordinates
- 30.4705, -87.1901
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B
- Registration
- N781SL
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Lifeguard Air Ambulance, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Valparaiso
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- IMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- MIA01LA040
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 |
Probable cause
The failure of the left main landing gear scissors washer during taxi for takeoff, and collapse of the left main landing gear. A factor in the accident was the failure of unknown maintenance personnel to comply with a manufacturers service letter concerning the scissors washers.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
After takeoff the landing gear would not retract and the landing gear warning horn sounded. The pilot continued to the destination airport and when weather prevented a landing, he returned to the departure airport. After landing the aircraft swerved to the left and the left main gear tire could be heard squealing. The aircraft went off the side of the runway and the left main gear collapsed and separated. Post crash examination of the aircraft showed the washer, which retains the bolt in the left main gear scissors, had failed and the scissors had separated. This allowed the gear to turn and prevented the gear from retracting due to the ground switch on the scissors not being able to open during takeoff. The failed washer was the subject of Cessna Aircraft Company, Service Information Letter ME83-37, dated November 23, 1983. This letter called for replacement of this washer with a thicker washer at the next routine 100-hour inspection.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 421 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jan 2000 | Cessna 421B | Telluride, Colorado, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 24 Aug 2000 | Cessna 421C | Hunt, Texas, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 10 Dec 2000 | Cessna 421B | Norman, Oklahoma, United States | Earl W. Nash | Fatal | 2 |
| 25 Jul 2000 | Cessna 421A | Homewood, Mississippi, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 9 May 2001 | Cessna 421C | Angwin, California, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 15 Jan 1999 | Cessna 421B | Youngstown, Ohio, United States | Hawkeye Charter Service, Inc | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 26 May 2000 | Aerostar S57-A | Windermere, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 2000 | Cessna 188 | Tampa, Florida, United States | American Outdoor Advertising | No injuries | - |
| 10 Sep 2000 | Grumman AA-5A | St. Augustine, Florida, United States | - | Serious injuries | - |
| 4 Nov 2000 | Cessna 172P | Inverness, Florida, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 16 Sep 2000 | Grumman AA-5 | Zephyrhills, Florida, United States | Arthur L. Schaer | Minor injuries | - |
| 16 Sep 2000 | Beechcraft 1900C | Miami, Florida, United States | Gulfstream International | No injuries | - |