Cessna 414 N1557T

Summary

On 15 February 1999 at about 18:43 local time, a Cessna 414 registered N1557T was involved in an accident near Phoenix, Arizona, 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.

Date

15 February 1999 at 18:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Phoenix, Arizona, United States

Nearest airport

Phoenix Sky Harbor (KPHX)

Coordinates

33.4305, -112.0096

Aircraft

Cessna 414

Registration

N1557T

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Scottsdale → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

LAX99LA097

Nobody was injured.

The overload failure of the left main gear locking mechanism due to improper system rigging by maintenance personnel.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot landed on runway 26R with three green landing gear down indicator lights. He said that the airplane seemed to roll normally down the centerline for approximately 200 feet, then the left landing gear collapsed and the airplane subsequently veered off the runway and struck taxiway lights. Postaccident investigation of the airplane revealed that the attachment location of the left main landing gear for the downlock bellcrank was separated and the attachment bolt was sheared. Additionally, there was a significant difference in the downlock tension adjustment of the landing gear components of the left side versus the right side of the airplane. System rigging of the landing gear requires adjustments to the fork bolt and the push-pull tube, which must be made together and in the same amount in opposite directions. The failed components were tested for chemical composition and hardness and all met their material specifications. Metallurgical examination of the parts disclosed that all fractures and bends were a direct result of an overload event. Maintenance records established that a re-rigging was performed on the airplane following the maintenance work on the landing gear system 10 days and 11 flight hours prior to the accident.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.