Pilot Debrief

CESSNA 421B near Sedona, AZ — 2026-03-27

Investigation ongoingWPR26LA145
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Date
2026-03-27
Location
Sedona, AZ, USA
Airport
SEZ
Aircraft
CESSNA 421B
Registration
N799TF
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On March 27, 2026, about 1630 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 421B, N799TF, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Sedona, Arizona. The pilot and pilot rated passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, the preflight checks, flight from Los Alamos Airport (LAM), Los Alamos, New Mexico, and approach to landing at Sedona Airport (SEZ), Sedona, Arizona, were uneventful. During the pre-landing checks, the pilot observed three green lights, indicating that all three landing gear legs were locked in the down position. After touchdown on runway 21 the airplane began to yaw to the right and progressed to a “heavy pull.” The pilot applied full left rudder to counteract the right yaw, and the airplane remained on centerline, initially. As the airplane slowed during the landing roll, the right yaw resumed and the left rudder correction became ineffective. Subsequently, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and impacted two taxiway signs. All three landing gear collapsed, and the airplane continued through a ditch before it came to rest upright in a grassy area adjacent to the runway. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing, left horizontal stabilizer, and fuselage were substantially damaged. The wreckage was retained for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Landing gear collapse · Landing-landing roll
View NTSB preliminary report

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