Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Shelbyville, Texas 75973
Friday, January 1, 1999 17:05 CST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During a precautionary landing following a loss of electrical power, the pilot turned the airplane to avoid colliding with a pickup truck, and the airplane impacted trees. The pilot reported that while IMC, at 14,000 feet msl, he started preparing for ice penetration and turned on the two propeller anti-ice switches. The right propeller anti-icing circuit breaker popped, and when the circuit breaker was reset, the airplane experienced a total electrical failure. The pilot initiated an emergency descent, and entered into VFR conditions at about 1,500 feet. After about 30 minutes of trying to locate an airport, with it getting dark and thunderstorms in the area, the pilot elected to land on a narrow road with trees on both sides. Testing of the alternator system revealed discrepancies with the left alternator, both voltage regulators, and the right alternator out sensor.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The total failure of the aircraft's electrical system. Factors were the thunderstorms, the dusk light condition, and the lack of suitable terrain for the precautionary landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/1/1999
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1705
Event Time Zone Central Standard Time
Event City SHELBYVILLE
Event State TEXAS
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 75973
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1655 Central Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 250
Weather Observation Facility ID OCH
Elevation of weather observation facility 355
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 34
Time Zone of the weather observation CST
Lighting Conditions Dusk
Lowest Ceiling Height 3700
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2900
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 17
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 4
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 821
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Jan 1 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1900
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:17AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N234CG
NTSB Number FTW99LA059
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 421C
Aircraft Series Identifier 421C
Aircraft Serial Number 421C0267
Certified Max Gross Weight 7450
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 8
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 20 1998 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 97
Airframe Hours 2894
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Yes
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name METRO REDEVELOPMENT, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 11590 W. DODGE ROAD
Aircraft Owner City OMAHA
Aircraft Owner State NE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 68154
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code NEW
Departure City NEW ORLEANS
Departure State LA
Departure Country
Departure Time 1520
Departure Time Zone CST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code MLE
Destination City OMAHA
Destination State NE
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Cruise
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --