Cessna 414 N37480

Summary

On 5 April 2013 at about 15:50 local time, a Cessna 414 registered N37480 was involved in an accident near Hammonton, New Jersey, United States. 2 people were on board and one had minor injuries. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

5 April 2013 at 15:50

Classification

Accident

Location

Hammonton, New Jersey, United States

Nearest airport

Hammonton Municipal Arpt (N81)

Coordinates

39.6675, -74.7578

Aircraft

Cessna 414

Registration

N37480

Category

Airplane

Year built

1977

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Gaithersburg → Hammonton

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

ERA13LA191

1 person had minor injuries.

A loss of control during landing due to the failure of the nose landing gear's left trunnion lug.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that, during a repositioning flight, he lowered the landing gear during the approach and confirmed that it was extended by observing the landing gear position indicator lights. Immediately after touchdown, the airplane veered left. The pilot applied full right rudder, but the airplane continued veering left and departed the left side of the runway. The airplane struck several trees and was subsequently engulfed in a postcrash fire. A postaccident examination revealed that the nose landing gear had separated from its mount at the left trunnion. Fractographic examination revealed a pre-existing crack at the surface of the left trunnion lug. Subsequent investigation revealed that the fractured part was a used part recently taken from another airplane that had over 20,000 service hours. The crack at the surface of the trunnion lug could not have been seen during a visual inspection of the trunnion assembly before its installation because such cracks can only be identified by eddy current inspections. Multiengine Service Bulletin MEB88-5 requires the trunnion assembly to be subjected to eddy current inspection and, if cracks are identified during this inspection, the trunnion assembly must be replaced; however, the inspection requirements are not applicable to Part 91 operators.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.