NTSB attributes the crash of a C-421 airplane in Kentucky in August to misfueling. [Credit: NTSB]
Key Takeaways:
The NTSB concluded that a Cessna 421 crash, which resulted in serious injuries, was caused by the aircraft being misfueled with Jet-A instead of the required 100LL aviation gasoline.
Contributing factors included the pilot not specifically requesting 100LL, signing a receipt for Jet-A without review, and failing to inspect or sump the fuel tanks before departure due to rushing ("get-home-itis").
The incident underscores the critical importance of pilots knowing their aircraft's fuel requirements, verifying fuel type through inspection and sumping after refueling, and avoiding complacency during preflight checks.
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)
