Cessna 404 N54SA
13 November 1990 · Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 13 November 1990 at about 02:19 local time, a Cessna 404 registered N54SA, operated by Superior Aviation Inc, was involved in an accident near Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 02:19
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, United States
- Nearest airport
- Pittsburgh (PIT)
- Coordinates
- Not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 404
- Registration
- N54SA
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- Superior Aviation Inc
- Operating rule
- Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
- Purpose of flight
- Unknown
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Cumberland → Unknown
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- NYC91LA027
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 |
Probable cause
A FAILURE OF NOSE LANDING GEAR RETRACTION CYLINDER ATTACH POINTS WHICH ALLOWED THE NOSE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE CESSNA 404 OPERATING ON A CARGO FLIGHT TOUCHED DOWN AND THE NOSE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE FAA EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND FOUND THE ATTACH POINTS FOR THE NOSE LANDING GEAR RETRACTION CYLINDER HAD RIPPED OUT. THE BOLT HOLES SHOWED SIGNS OF WORKING AND WERE WORN. IN ADDITION, THEY REPORTED THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL REFERENCE TO THE AREA IS GENERAL IN NATURE. THE LOCATION OF THE FAILURE IS VERY DIFFICULT TO VIEW DURING INSPECTION DUE TO LIMITED ACCESS.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 404 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 17 Jan 1990 | Cessna 404 | Boca Raton, Florida, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 8 Jul 1990 | Cessna 404 | San Angelo, Texas, United States | U.s. Customs | Minor injuries | - |
| 13 Feb 1990 | Cessna 404 | Englewood, Colorado, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 27 Nov 1992 | Cessna 404 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | U. S. Customs Service | No injuries | - |
| 10 Jun 1988 | Cessna 404 | Denver, Colorado, United States | Air Today, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 17 Dec 1993 | Cessna 404 | Big Rapids, Michigan, United States | Superior Aviation | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 15 Jul 1990 | Aeronca 7BCM | Doylestown, Pennsylvania, United States | Edward Cole | No injuries | - |
| 16 Jul 1990 | Piper PA-23-150 | Radnow Township, Pennsylvania, United States | - | Minor injuries | - |
| 22 Jul 1990 | Cessna 340A | Prospect, Pennsylvania, United States | Brennan Aviation Corp. | No injuries | - |
| 26 Jul 1990 | Cessna 180 | Hilltown, Pennsylvania, United States | JOE A. Bawduniak | Minor injuries | - |
| 2 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28-151 | Mt Pocono, Pennsylvania, United States | - | No injuries | - |
| 4 Aug 1990 | Piper PA-28-140 | Tunkhannock, Pennsylvania, United States | Raymond L. Corper | No injuries | - |