Cessna 340A N121CB

Summary

On 2 October 2023 at about 19:50 local time, a Cessna 340A registered N121CB was involved in an accident near Hayward, California, United States. 2 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.

Date

2 October 2023 at 19:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Hayward, California, United States

Nearest airport

Hayward Executive Airport (KHWD)

Coordinates

37.6589, -122.1217

Aircraft

Cessna 340A

Registration

N121CB

Category

Airplane

Year built

1976

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Monterey

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR24LA003

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s sudden incapacitation from effects of a previously undiagnosed underlying heart disease, which resulted in his loss of control of the airplane and subsequent impact with terrain.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot had just removed the airplane from his hangar and started both engines. While setting up the avionics, the pilot was suddenly incapacitated, and the airplane began to move across a taxiway. The passenger attempted to wake the pilot, but the airplane continued across a taxiway intersection and into the runway safety area before it collided with a swale. The nose landing gear collapsed and both wings sustained substantial damage. Postaccident medical examination of the pilot attributed the loss of consciousness to an episode of abnormal heartbeat due to a previously undiagnosed underlying heart disease. Thus, the pilot’s sudden incapacitation from effects of previously undiagnosed heart disease likely caused the accident. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.