Cessna 421C N19MH

Summary

On 18 October 1998 at about 11:00 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N19MH was involved in an accident near Eagle Pass, Texas, United States. 5 people were on board and 5 had minor injuries. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

18 October 1998 at 11:00

Classification

Accident

Location

Eagle Pass, Texas, United States

Nearest airport

Maverick County Mem Intl (5T9)

Coordinates

28.7008, -100.4907

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N19MH

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → San Antonio

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

FTW99LA012

5 people had minor injuries.

A downdraft, which exceeded the aircraft's climb performance. A factor was the thunderstorms in the vicinity of the airport.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

During takeoff climb, the twin-engine airplane encountered a strong downdraft and impacted trees and terrain. The pilot reported that while taxiing to the runway, he scanned the sky with the monochrome weather radar, which was set at the 40-mile range. 'No weather was shown behind the runway and a cell was shown 15 miles from the runway.' The takeoff roll was 'uneventful,' and the airplane was rotated at 95 knots. Climb out was accomplished at 110 knots, the engines were at maximum power, the propellers at maximum RPM, and the manifold pressure was indicating maximum. A 10-degree turn towards the Cotulla VOR was being made when at 1,500 feet msl, a sharp descent was felt with the VSI indicating an 800 ft/min rate of descent. The wings were leveled and the airspeed was slowed to 85 knots. 'The rate of descent slowed to 400 ft/min and then finally to 300 ft/min until impact...' The airplane was destroyed by fire that erupted on impact. A review of doppler weather radar images showed thunderstorms in the vicinity of the airport.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.