Cessna 421B N60HG
8 May 2009 · Alpine, Texas, United States · Minor injuries
Summary
On 8 May 2009 at about 15:30 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N60HG, operated by O'hara Flying Service II LP, was involved in an accident near Alpine, Texas, United States. One person was 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.
The record
- Date
- at 15:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Alpine, Texas, United States
- Nearest airport
- Alpine-Casparis Municipal Apt (E38)
- Coordinates
- 30.4291, -103.3293
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421B
- Registration
- N60HG
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- O'hara Flying Service II LP
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Positioning
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Alpine → Amarillo
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- CEN09LA284
People
1 person had minor injuries.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
Probable cause
The loss of engine power due to disengagement of the magneto idler gear support pin.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
Shortly after departure, when the airplane was about 400 feet in the air, the right engine stopped producing power. The pilot conducted a forced landing in a nearby field. An on-site inspection revealed that the airplane fuel tanks contained plenty of fuel. A post accident examination of the engines was conducted. An engine monitor was downloaded; a sudden decrease in cylinder head (CHT) and exhaust gas (EGT) temperature readings were observed for the right engine. A visual inspection of the engine revealed that the idler gear support pin, located on the rear of the engine, had backed out. The idler pin's retaining hardware (two nuts and lock-washers) were missing. The idler pin's movement allowed the idler gear to drop and become disconnected from the magnetos drive gear, resulting in a loss of engine ignition. Additionally, due to the mis-located idler gear, the accessory drive gears on the cam and crankshafts were either ground down or broken. Disassembly of the engine, found numerous metal pieces in the engine's oil sump.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 421 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Sep 2009 | Cessna 421 | Sugar Land, Texas, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 30 Jan 2009 | Cessna 421C | Wichita, Kansas, United States | Fly High Inc | Minor injuries | - |
| 30 Jan 2009 | Cessna 421B | Nassau, Bahamas | Glen Pratt | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Jul 2009 | Cessna 421C | Gulf of Mexico, United States | Q4 Aviation LLC | Fatal | 5 |
| 17 Apr 2009 | Cessna 421B | Oakland Park, Florida, United States | Cecil A Murray | Fatal | 1 |
| 3 Oct 2009 | Cessna 421B | San Simeon, California, United States | Western Air Charter | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 Apr 2009 | American Legend AL-3C | McKinney, Texas, United States | McRight-Smith Aviation, LP | No injuries | - |
| 2 Oct 2009 | Beechcraft A36 | Refugio, Texas, United States | Aero Mark JM LLC | Minor injuries | - |
| 3 Oct 2009 | Beechcraft E18S | Jones Creek, Texas, United States | Brazoria County | No injuries | - |
| 25 Feb 2009 | Robinson R22 BETA | O'Donnell, Texas, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Jun 2009 | Meyers OTW | Haskell, Texas, United States | Ashbach Richard P | No injuries | - |
| 11 Dec 2009 | Piper PA-30 | Port Mansfield, Texas, United States | Harvey W. Kiniken, Jr | Fatal | 2 |