On December 13, 1992, a Cessna 421C (registration N98489) operated by Higgins, Arthur B. was involved in an aviation accident near Wilsonville, OR. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
Witnesses observed an airplane flying normally before it rolled inverted and entered a near-vertical dive, striking a tree during recovery attempts.
What happened
Observers reported seeing the aircraft maintaining a standard cruise attitude prior to the incident. The plane then unexpectedly rolled inverted, causing the nose to drop nearly vertically toward the ground. As the aircraft descended in this steep dive, the pilot attempted to recover by leveling the nose horizontally relative to the terrain.
The investigation
A post-crash examination of the wreckage was conducted to determine the cause of the accident. Investigators looked for signs of mechanical failure or malfunction that could have contributed to the loss of control. No evidence of such issues was found during the inspection.