Cessna 421B N21ST

Summary

On 9 November 1990 at about 19:47 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N21ST was involved in an accident near Flamingo, Florida, United States. 3 people were on board and 3 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

9 November 1990 at 19:47

Classification

Accident

Location

Flamingo, Florida, United States

Coordinates

25.4894, -80.5107

Aircraft

Cessna 421B

Registration

N21ST

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Key West → Naples

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA91FA023

3 people died.

AN UNDETERMINED AIRFRAME/COMPONENT/SYSTEM FAILURE/MALFUNCTION, WHICH RESULTED IN A FUEL FED FIRE IN THE LEFT WING.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

AS THE ACFT (N21ST) WAS EN ROUTE ON A FLT FROM KEY WEST TO NAPLES, FL, THE PLT OF ANOTHER ACFT SAW A 'FIRE BALL' IN THE VCNTY OF WHERE N21ST SUBSEQUENTLY CRASHED. WHEN N21ST DID NOT ARRIVE, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. THE WRECKAGE WAS FND THE NEXT DAY AT 1704 EST, IN THE EVERGLADES NATL PARK, NR FLAMINGO, FL. DRG IMPACT, THE MAIN WRECKAGE WAS BURIED IN 30' OF MUD. THE LEFT OUTBOARD WING SECTION (FM JUST OUTBOARD OF THE ENG NACELLE TO THE WING TIP) WAS FND APRX 1 MI FM THE MAINWRECKAGE. AN EXAM REVEALED THE WING HAD FAILED WHERE THE NACELLE FUEL TANK & THE AUX FUEL TANK BOOST PUMPS WERE MOUNTED.NO EXHAUST SYS FAILURE OR LEAKAGE FM THE FUEL TANKS WAS FND IN THE AREA OF THE FIRE. THE GREATEST FIRE DMG WAS AT A POINT WHERE THE LEFT NACELLE FUEL TANK BOOST PUMP WAS MOUNTED & AFT FM THERE TO WHERE THE REAR WING SPAR HAD BURNED THRU. THE ELEC FUEL BOOST PUMPS WERE NOT RECOVERED AFTER THE ACDNT. THE IGNITION SOURCE FOR THE FIRE WAS NOT DETERMINED.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.