NTSB attributes the crash of a C-421 airplane in Kentucky in August to misfueling. [Credit: NTSB]
Key Takeaways:
A Cessna 421 crashed after losing power in both engines, with the NTSB concluding the cause was misfueling with Jet-A instead of the required 100LL aviation gasoline.
The accident was attributed to the pilot's actions, including not specifying fuel type, signing a receipt for Jet-A, and skipping critical preflight fuel inspection (sumping) due to being in a hurry to depart.
The article emphasizes that misfueling accidents are preventable through pilots knowing their aircraft's fuel requirements, visually verifying fuel color and smell, and consistently performing preflight fuel sumping to check for contaminants and correct fuel type.
The only good that comes out of aviation accidents is that learning can take place.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation into the August crash of a Cessna 421 near Fulton, Kentucky, has concluded in its final report that the aircraft lost power in flight due to the aircraft being misfueled.
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Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.
![NTSB attributes the crash of a C-421 airplane in Kentucky in August to misfueling. [Credit: NTSB]](https://www.flyingmag.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/10/Capture2.webp)
