Cessna 421B N4939M

Summary

On 29 April 1993 at about 19:00 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N4939M, operated by Private Wing Flugreisen Gmbh, was involved in an accident near Valley Park, Missouri, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

29 April 1993 at 19:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Valley Park, Missouri, United States

Nearest airport

Spirit of St Louis (SUS)

Coordinates

38.5494, -90.4795

Aircraft

Cessna 421B

Registration

N4939M

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Private Wing Flugreisen Gmbh

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Chesterfield → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

CHI93FA149

2 people died.

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION, DUE TO AN INADEQUATE SUPPLY OF FUEL, AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING APPROACH TO AN EMERGENCY LANDING. A RELATED FACTOR WAS: FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO REFUEL THE AIRPLANE BEFORE FLIGHT.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

TWO FOREIGN PILOTS TOOK OFF VFR TO REMAIN IN THE VICINITY OF AN AIRPORT ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF A METROPOLITAN AREA. NO RECORD WAS FOUND TO SHOW THE AIRPLANE HAD BEEN FUELED EITHER BEFORE OR AFTER THE PRECEEDING FLIGHT. THE FLIGHT CREW CONTACTED AN AREA APPROACH CONTROL & REQUESTED AN ILS APPROACH TO TEST THEIR ILS EQUIPMENT WITHOUT SPECIFYING AN AIRPORT. APPROACH CONTROL ISSUED & THE FLIGHT CREW ACCEPTED VECTORS TO ANOTHER AIRPORT FOR WHICH THE PILOTS HAD NO APPROACH PLATE OR AIRPORT INFORMATION. VECTORS TOOK THE AIRPLANE ABOUT 25 MILES FROM THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. THE FLIGHT CREW REQUESTED TO PROCEED BACK TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE FLIGHT CREW DECLARED AN EMERGENCY DUE TO LOW FUEL, THEN RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. WITNESSES AT A LANDFILL HEARD AN INTERMITTENT SOUND FROM THE ENGINE(S). THE AIRPLANE CAME INTO THEIR VIEW WITH ONE ENGINE RUNNING, THEN THE ENGINE SOUND CEASED. THEY INDICATED THE AIRPLANE WENT OUT OF CONTROL & CRASHED, BUT ONE ENGINE ACCELERATED JUST BEFORE IMPACT. A SMALL FIRE WAS CONFINED TO THE LEFT WING.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.