Cessna 421
 Cessna 421. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
| |
| Make | Cessna |
|---|---|
| Model | Cessna 421 |
| Type | Light transport |
| Country |  United States
|
| First flight | October 14, 1965 |
| Built | 1967–1985 |
| Number built | 1,916 |
| Registered in the US | 757 (FAA register, October 30, 2026) |
| Seats | One or two, Six passengers |
| Engine | 2 × Continental GTSIO-520-L, 375 hp |
| Cruise speed | 240 kn (421C) |
| Range | 1,487 nmi (421C) |
| Service ceiling | 30,200 ft (421C) |
| Max weight | 7,450 lb (421C) |
| Developed from | Cessna 411 |
| More aircraft · For sale | |
The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle is a six- or seven-seat twin-engine light transport, developed by Cessna in the 1960s as a pressurized version of the Cessna 411.[1] In the U.S. there are 757 with a valid registration, most of them the 421C.[2]
History
The first 421 was built in May 1967 for the 1968 model year, with "Stabila-Tip" wingtip fuel tanks and electro-mechanical landing gear like the Cessna 310's. It was an immediate hit, selling 200 in its first year. In 1969 the fuselage was stretched three inches, fuel and gross weight went up, and it became the 421A.[1]
It is an all-metal, low-wing cabin airplane with retractable tricycle gear and two geared Continental GTSIO-520 engines. The cabin door is on the left behind the wing, and it seats six in the basic 421, up to ten in later versions.[1]
Versions
- 421 (approved May 1, 1967): two 375 hp GTSIO-520-Ds, 6,800 lb, 200 built.[1]
- 421A (approved November 19, 1968): 6,840 lb, 158 built.[1]
- 421B Golden Eagle / Executive Commuter (approved April 28, 1970): eight seats, 7,250 lb and later 7,450 lb.[1]
- 421C: the most common on the U.S. register today.[2]
Registered in the United States
The FAA register lists 757 of these airplanes with a valid U.S. registration. Here they are by the model name the FAA uses.[2]
| FAA model name | Registered |
|---|---|
| 421C | 493 |
| 421B | 220 |
| 421 | 25 |
| 421A | 19 |
Specifications (421C)
| Item | 421C |
|---|---|
| Crew | One or two |
| Passengers / capacity | Six passengers |
| Length | 36 ft 4+5/8 in |
| Wingspan | 41 ft 1+1/2 in |
| Height | 11 ft 5+3/8 in |
| Wing area | 215 sq ft |
| Empty weight | 4,501 lb |
| Maximum takeoff weight | 7,450 lb |
| Fuel | 206 USgal normal (usable capacity), 262 USgal with optional wing tanks |
| Engine | 2 × Continental GTSIO-520-L, 375 hp (turbocharged, fuel injected and geared flat-six engines) |
| Propeller | McCauley constant-speed propellers |
| Maximum speed | 256 kn |
| Cruise speed | 240 kn |
| Range | 1,487 nmi |
| Service ceiling | 30,200 ft |
| Rate of climb | 1,940 ft/min |
Figures as given in the Wikipedia article and its sources.[1]
Photos
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Cessna 421B (C-GEGH). Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain -
Cessna 421B Golden Eagle (C-GKOZ) seen at Carp Airport near Ottawa ON, 17 December 2006. Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain -
Cessna 421B Golden Eagle (C-GKOZ) seen at Carp Airport near Ottawa ON, 17 December 2006. Photo: Ahunt at English Wikipedia, Public domain -
Cessna 421C Pilot's panel instrumentation. Photo: FacialSurgery, Public domain -
Cessna 421C Co-Pilot's panel instrumentation. Photo: FacialSurgery, Public domain -
1982 Cessna 421C. Photo: FlugKerl2, CC BY-SA 3.0
All photos are from Wikimedia Commons; click a photo for its full credit and license.
Buying a Cessna 421
Sources
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 1.6 Wikipedia, "Cessna 421 Golden Eagle", read November 1, 2026. Airplane Wiki's text is written in its own words; facts are checked against this article and its sources.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 Federal Aviation Administration, Releasable Aircraft Database, file dated October 30, 2026. Valid registrations of fixed-wing airplanes whose FAA maker and model names belong to this family. Airplane Wiki uses only counts from this file, never owner names or addresses.