Cessna 421C N3855C

Summary

On 4 December 2002 at about 03:35 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N3855C, operated by Air Transport Inc., was involved in an accident near Tajique, New Mexico, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

4 December 2002 at 03:35

Classification

Accident

Location

Tajique, New Mexico, United States

Nearest airport

Albuquerque International Apt. (ABQ)

Coordinates

34.7543, -106.2871

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N3855C

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Air Transport Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Alamogordo → Albuquerque

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW03FA055

1 person died.

The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance. Factors contributing to the accident were the high mountains, mountain obscuration, the dark night condition, and the pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision making.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

Prior to departing on the first leg of the flight, the dispatcher advised the pilot that he needed him to check the weather. After advising the pilot that he would be flying an additional leg, the dispatcher again advised the pilot that he needed him to check the weather, which the pilot did, as observed by the dispatcher. After reaching 14,500 feet at 2028 the pilot contacted Albuquerque Approach Control, advising the controller that he had information "Yankee" and was requesting a lower altitude. The controller instructed the pilot to proceed via his own navigation and to descend at pilot's discretion. The pilot replied "Roger." From 2034 to 2041 the controller made four attempts to contact the pilot, each without success. At 2039 and 2042 the controller asked two other aircraft in the area to try establishing radio communication with the pilot; neither were successful. At 2033:19 the last radar return with altitude information was received from the aircraft, with a reported altitude of 10,200 feet MSL. A primary radar contact, with no transponder or altitude information, was received at 2033:32, 2.2 nautical miles southeast of the accident site, putting it on a straight line between the last radar contact and destination airport. The accident site was located at the 9,012 foot level of a mountain range, 19 nautical miles southeast of the destination airport. Post-accident examination revealed no anomalies with the airframe or engines which would have prevented normal operations. At 1956, the weather observation facility located at the destination airport reported a few clouds at 800 feet, scattered clouds at 2,500 feet, and overcast clouds at 4,200 feet. The remarks section stated rain ended at 35 minutes past the hour, and mountains obscured northeast to southeast. At 2024, the same weather facility reported scattered clouds at 600 feet and overcast clouds at 4,200 feet.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.