Cessna 421 Golden Eagle Model Guide
Cessna 421 Golden Eagle · Model Guide
Overview
The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle is a pressurized, retractable-gear piston twin with 6 to 8 seats, built until 1985 in 421, 421A, 421B and 421C versions. Family-level registry data shows up to 840 nm range, up to 240 kt cruise and up to 31,000 ft service ceiling across the variants.
- Pressurized piston twin with two 375 hp Continental GTSIO-520 engines; 1,901 were built before production ended in 1985.
- The 421C (859 built) brought a new wing, wet wings and no wingtip tanks. The 421B (699 built) came before it.
- A 1976 421C was valued by VREF in August 2021 at $220,999.88, with paint and interior rated D - Poor. Condition drives price.
- Inspect the nose gear downlock microswitch: corrosion has caused false green 'down-and-locked' lights on 400-series Cessnas.
Summary written by AI from the source document. Check the original before relying on it. See which parts of Sprinkle are written by AI.
Reference only, not for flight. Use the current approved manual for your aircraft. See terms, section 5.
Document
Source
Copy found at sprinkle.com. Sprinkle hosts a reference copy with an added summary, specifications and searchable full text.
Document details
- Type ·
- Model Guide
- Year ·
- 2026
- File size ·
- 49 KB
- Copy found at ·
- sprinkle.com
Specifications & performance
Extracted from this document.
Specifications
- Engine power (hp) ·
- 375
Performance
- Range (nm) ·
- 882
- Takeoff run (ft) ·
- 1,786
- Landing roll (ft) ·
- 720
- Cruise speed (kt) ·
- 241
- Takeoff run 50ft (ft) ·
- 2,323
- Max operating altitude (ft) ·
- 31,000
Weight & balance
- Useful load (lb) ·
- 2,417
- Payload full fuel (lb) ·
- 1,317
- Basic empty weight (lb) ·
- 5,162
- Max takeoff weight (lb) ·
- 7,579
- Usable fuel volume (gal) ·
- 170
- Usable fuel weight (lb) ·
- 1,138
How fast and far does it fly?
A 1976 Cessna 421 Golden Eagle (421C) listing shows 241 kts cruise, 882 nm range, a 1786 ft takeoff run and a 720 ft landing roll. A 1972 421B listing shows 200 kts normal cruise and 972 nm maximum range.
What engines does it use?
The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle uses Continental GTSIO-520 engines of 375 hp each: -D on the 421 and 421A, -H on the 421B, and -L or -N on the 421C. A 1972 listing shows a 1,600-hour TBO.
What load can it carry?
One 1972 Cessna 421 Golden Eagle (421B) listing shows 5,162 lbs basic empty weight, 2,417 lbs useful load, 1,317 lbs payload with full fuel, and 170 gal usable fuel. Check the weights for the specific aircraft.
What is the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle Model Guide?
The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle Model Guide is a model guide for the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle, dated 2026.
What year was the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle Model Guide published?
The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle Model Guide — the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle model guide on file — is dated 2026.
Common. More common than 96% of the aircraft models we track.
Most owners only have the POH. Here's the essential set for the Cessna 421 Golden Eagle.
- Pilot's Operating Handbook / AFM
- Checklist
- Maintenance Manual
- Parts Catalog (IPC)
- Systems & Wiring
- Service Bulletins on file
- Type Certificate (TCDS)
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In this document
Variants and what changed
421 (200 built, 6,800 lb max takeoff), 421A (158 built, 6,840 lb), 421B (699 built, 7,250 lb, later 7,450 lb) and 421C (859 built, 7,450 lb). The 421C added a new wing, wet wings, no wingtip tanks, and trailing-link landing gear from the 1981 model year. An icing-equipment package was offered from 1975.
What sample listings show
A 1972 421B listing had 7,095 airframe hours, a 1,600-hour engine TBO, full de-ice, vortex generators, and original, complete logs with the annual complied with April 2018. A 1976 421C was valued by VREF (August 2021) at $220,999.88 after a $26,250 condition deduction; its engines had 829.90 and 710.80 hours since major overhaul.
Autopilot upgrade option
The Genesys IntelliFlight 2100 three-axis digital autopilot is certified for the 414 and 421, with a 2016 retail price of $39,995. It reuses S-TEC 55X servos, needs a slight panel modification and extra wiring, and needs a yaw servo if no yaw damper is fitted. A 1973 421 owner reported being extremely pleased with it.
Summary written by AI from the source document. Check the original before relying on it. See which parts of Sprinkle are written by AI.
Safety notes
- A nose gear collapsed with three green lights lit because a corroded downlock microswitch stuck closed. Inspect and reseal it per SNL 89-3 (N1FY, 2010).
- Emergency gear extension is by air bottle blow-down. It was not used in that accident because the pilot had no sign the nose gear was unlocked.
- A broken nosewheel mudguard brace and a worn tyre sidewall led to a nose gear collapse on a 1977 421C. Check the mudguard, tyre and fork.
Summary written by AI from the source document. Check the original before relying on it. See which parts of Sprinkle are written by AI.
Full document text
Cessna 421 Golden Eagle Model Guide The Cessna 421 Golden Eagle is a pressurized, retractable-gear piston twin with 6 to 8 seats, built until 1985 in 421, 421A, 421B and 421C versions. Family-level registry data shows up to 840 nm range, up to 240 kt cruise and up to 31,000 ft service ceiling across the variants. • Pressurized piston twin with two 375 hp Continental GTSIO-520 engines; 1,901 were built before production ended in 1985. • The 421C (859 built) brought a new wing, wet wings and no wingtip tanks. The 421B (699 built) came before it. • A 1976 421C was valued by VREF in August 2021 at $220,999.88, with paint and interior rated D - Poor. Condition drives price. • Inspect the nose gear downlock microswitch: corrosion has caused false green 'down-and-locked' lights on 400-series Cessnas. Variants and what changed 421 (200 built, 6,800 lb max takeoff), 421A (158 built, 6,840 lb), 421B (699 built, 7,250 lb, later 7,450 lb) and 421C (859 built, 7,450 lb). The 421C added a new wing, wet wings, no wingtip tanks, and trailing-link landing gear from the 1981 model year. An icing-equipment package was offered from 1975. What sample listings show A 1972 421B listing had 7,095 airframe hours, a 1,600-hour engine TBO, full de-ice, vortex generators, and original, complete logs with the annual complied with April 2018. A 1976 421C was valued by VREF (August 2021) at $220,999.88 after a $26,250 condition deduction; its engines had 829.90 and 710.80 hours since major overhaul. Autopilot upgrade option The Genesys IntelliFlight 2100 three-axis digital autopilot is certified for the 414 and 421, with a 2016 retail price of $39,995. It reuses S-TEC 55X servos, needs a slight panel modification and extra wiring, and needs a yaw servo if no yaw damper is fitted. A 1973 421 owner reported being extremely pleased with it. Safety notes: • A nose gear collapsed with three green lights lit because a corroded downlock microswitch stuck closed. Inspect and reseal it per SNL 89-3 (N1FY, 2010). • Emergency gear extension is by air bottle blow-down. It was not used in that accident because the pilot had no sign the nose gear was unlocked. • A broken nosewheel mudguard brace and a worn tyre sidewall led to a nose gear collapse on a 1977 421C. Check the mudguard, tyre and fork.