Cessna 421C N745CA

Summary

On 28 August 1995 at about 03:03 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N745CA was involved in an accident near Chinle, Arizona, 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

28 August 1995 at 03:03

Classification

Accident

Location

Chinle, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Chinle Airport (Q32)

Coordinates

36.2295, -109.5692

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N745CA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Phoenix → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

LAX95LA315

Nobody was injured.

the pilot's selection of a runway inappropriate for the tailwind condition and his resultant failure to achieve a touchdown point which would allow the aircraft to stop prior to over running the departure end. The rough condition of the dirt runway, the lack of lighted wind indicators, and the operator's failure to develop procedures for night operations at the airport are factors in the accident.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The aircraft is based at the dirt airstrip to provide aeromedical evacuation capability for the Navajo Nation. The pilot landed on runway 17 to avoid obstacles on the approach end of runway 35 during the night landing. The Navajo authorities said the winds were southerly at about 30 knots when the aircraft attempted to land. The windsock is not illuminated, and neither the airport nor the CTAF are attended after dark. The pilot said that after touchdown as the aircraft passed the hangar he observed the windsock sticking straight out indicating a tailwind. The pilot said he applied maximum braking, but could not stop prior to over running the departure end of the runway. The aircraft traveled down an embankment, through a ditch, and collided with two steel irrigation posts before coming to rest. FAA inspectors traveled to the accident site and examined both the runway and the aircraft. The touchdown point for the aircraft was identified as about the midpoint of the runway. Tire marks were apparent from that point to where the aircraft left the departure end of the runway and went through a cattle guard. A ditch was associated with the cattle guard. The FAA inspector said the ground distance traveled from the touchdown point was about the normal ground roll for the aircraft under the reported 20- to 30-knot tailwind condition. No discrepancies were identified with the aircraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.