Cessna 421B N380AL

Summary

On 22 June 2017 at about 20:25 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N380AL was involved in an accident near Carlsbad, California, United States. 2 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

22 June 2017 at 20:25

Classification

Accident

Location

Carlsbad, California, United States

Nearest airport

Mc Clellan-Palomar (CRQ)

Coordinates

33.1278, -117.2822

Aircraft

Cessna 421B

Registration

N380AL

Category

Airplane

Year built

1972

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Instructional

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Temecula → Carlsbad

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR17LA131

Nobody was injured.

The right main landing gear collapse for undetermined reasons.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The pilot reported that touchdown on the runway and rollout were normal but that the airplane began to wobble as it decelerated to about 10 to 15 mph. He maintained directional control without braking. However, the wobble worsened, and the right main landing gear collapsed, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing.  Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear torque link pivot bolt assembly was severed, and the two inboard spacer washers, nut, and cotter pin were not located. Additionally, the the landing gear trunnion was partially separated from the wing structure. Vertical scuffing was observed on the outboard crown of the right main landing gear tire, which is consistent with the wheel skidding along the ground after becoming misaligned about 90° from normal. Metallurgical examination of the torque link pivot bolt revealed that the bolt fractured through the threaded region at the edge of the pivot barrel in bending overstress, with no evidence of preexisting cracking or corrosion. In addition, the trunnion fractured in overstress, with no evidence of preexisting fatigue cracks or fractures.  Alignment of the wheel is achieved by washers installed between the upper and lower torque link assemblies; disconnection of the upper and lower torque link assemblies from one another could result in wheel misalignment, vibration, and ultimately failure of the main landing gear. However, due to postaccident damage to the landing gear and the unrecovered components, there was insufficient evidence available to determine why the right main landing gear collapsed. 

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.