Cessna 421C N49DD

Summary

On 2 June 2008 at about 21:05 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N49DD, operated by Taft, Taft, and Haigler, was involved in an accident near Greenville, North Carolina, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

2 June 2008 at 21:05

Classification

Accident

Location

Greenville, North Carolina, United States

Nearest airport

Pitt-Greenville Airport (PGV)

Coordinates

35.6436, -77.3831

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N49DD

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Taft, Taft, and Haigler

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Executive/Corporate

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greenville → Wilmington

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

NYC08LA204

1 person had minor injuries.

The malfunction and premature retraction of the landing gear for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The accident pilot was preparing to fly the airplane back to its home base. When he taxied the airplane for departure the "Hydraulic Flow" light remained illuminated at a "higher than normal" engine rpm. He then taxied the airplane back to the ramp in order to have a mechanic investigate the cause for the light. The mechanic informed the pilot that it was "probably a sensor problem" and that the airplane should be safe to fly. The pilot then taxied back to runway 2 for departure. During the takeoff roll, at a speed of about 90 knots, the pilot heard a loud "bang." The airplane settled onto the runway, slid on the underside of the fuselage, and stopped on the right edge of the runway pavement. The damage was limited to the propeller tips, skin on the underside of the fuselage, and a penetration of the pressure vessel on the right side of the fuselage near the right cockpit seat. The airplane was loaded onto a trailer, and moved to another location on the airport for further examination. When the airplane was lifted from the trailer, the landing gear was manually extended and secured. Examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector and a local mechanic revealed no preimpact deficiencies with the landing gear and the associated systems. The installation and functionality of the landing gear torque link safety switch was found to be in accordance with the manufacturer's guidance.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.