Saint Paul Aviation

Cessna 421B Golden Eagle II

As the aircraft (N21ST) was en route on a flight from Key West to Naples, FL, the pilot of another aircraft saw a 'fireball' in the vicinity of where N21ST subsequently crashed. When N21ST did not arrive, a search was initiated. The wreckage was found the next day at 1704 est, in the Everglades National Park, near Flamingo, FL. During impact, the main wreckage was buried in 30 feet of mud. The left outboard wing section (from just outboard of the engine nacelle to the wing tip) was found approximately 1 mile from the main wreckage. An exam revealed the wing had failed where the nacelle fuel tank and the aux fuel tank boost pumps were mounted. No exhaust system failure or leakage from the fuel tanks was found in the area of the fire. The greatest fire damage was at a point where the left nacelle fuel tank boost pump was mounted and aft from there to where the rear wing spar had burned thru. The electrical fuel boost pumps were not recovered after the accident. The ignition source for the fire was not determined. All three occupants were killed.