Cessna 421C N3875C

Summary

On 24 February 2011 at about 01:02 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N3875C, operated by Starr Services LLC, was involved in an accident near Connersville, Indiana, United States. One person was on board and one died. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

24 February 2011 at 01:02

Classification

Accident

Location

Connersville, Indiana, United States

Nearest airport

Mettel (CEV)

Coordinates

39.6906, -85.6906

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N3875C

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Starr Services LLC

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Indianapolis → Connersville

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night

NTSB number

CEN11FA201

1 person died.

The pilot did not maintain control of the airplane while making a low-altitude turn during dark night conditions.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

A witness reported that, despite the darkness, he was able to see the navigation lights on the airplane as it flew over the south end of the airport at an altitude of 150 to 200 feet above the ground. The airplane made a left turn to the downwind leg of the traffic pattern and continued a descending turn until the airplane impacted the ground in a near-vertical attitude. Due to the airplane’s turn, the 10- to 20-knot quartering headwind became a quartering tailwind. The airplane was also turned toward a rural area with very little ground lighting. A postaccident examination of the airplane and engines did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.