Cessna 421C N746CA

Summary

On 14 December 1994 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 421C registered N746CA was involved in an accident near Chinle, Arizona, United States. 5 people were 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.

Date

14 December 1994 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Chinle, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Chinle Airstrip (Q32)

Coordinates

36.2300, -109.5692

Aircraft

Cessna 421C

Registration

N746CA

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Tuba City → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX95LA073

Nobody was injured.

the overload failure of the nose gear trunion for undetermined reasons.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE COMPANY DID NOT REPORT THE ACCIDENT TO EITHER THE FAA OR SAFETY BOARD. AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR FOUND THE DAMAGED AIRPLANE IN A HANGAR AT THE COMPANY BASE. THE PILOT AND A COMPANY MECHANIC ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT DURING THE ACCIDENT SUBMITTED WRITTEN STATEMENTS. THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A POSITIONING FLIGHT TO PICK UP A MEDICAL EVACUATION PATIENT AT A DIRT AIRSTRIP. BOTH THE PILOT AND MECHANIC SAID THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN ON THE DIRT AIRSTRIP WERE NORMAL. THE MECHANIC SAID HE SAW THREE DOWN AND LOCKED GEAR LIGHTS BEFORE LANDING. AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON THE MAINS, THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT SETTLED DOWN PAST THE NORMAL NOSE GEAR CONTACT POINT. THE MECHANIC SAID THE AIRCRAFT NOSE THEN WENT TO THE RIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO SLIDE SIDEWAYS. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY TO THE RIGHT AND HIT A BARBED WIRE FENCE. NEITHER THE PILOT NOR THE MECHANIC REPORTED ANY UNUSUAL 'NOISES OR SENSATIONS' FROM THE NOSE GEAR DURING THE LANDING. BOTH THE PILOT AND MECHANIC STATED THAT THE LANDING GEAR TRACKS WERE STRAIGHT ON THE RUNWAY UNTIL THE NOSE GEAR 'DUG IN AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT.' THE FAA INSPECTOR SAID THE NOSE GEAR FAILED TO THE LEFT WITH EVIDENCE OF A SIDE LOAD. THE UPPER RIGHT TRUNION FRACTURED FROM THE NOSE GEAR CASTING, AND THE FRACTURE FACE APPEARED TO BE INSTANTANEOUS OVERLOAD, WITH NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING CRACKS OR FLAWS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.