# NTSB CEN18LA162: Cessna 182, N3292Y, Broomfield, CO, May 7, 2018 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Class 3 · Limited · Final report - Date: May 7, 2018, 11:39 local (17:39 UTC) - Place: Broomfield, CO - Coordinates: 39.908889, -105.117225 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9089&lon=-105.1172&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Other](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/800) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Other: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 1 minor - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 3 - NTSB office: Central Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - Denver FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 97192 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CEN18LA162 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/97192/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97192 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN18LA162 ## Probable cause The overstress fracture of the upper link of the nose landing gear torque link assembly, which resulted in the pilot’s inability to maintain directional control during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: nose/tail gear strut/axle](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Failure (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222/cases.md) - [Landing gear system: nose/tail gear strut/axle](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Capability exceeded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 36 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023222/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Cessna 182, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Other: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 7 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Nose over/nose down](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096); cases with it: [Cessna 182, 8 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md?model=2072702), [All aircraft, 2,287 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/096/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot had conducted a personal flight to a grass airstrip, where he completed two uneventful full-stop landings before returning to the departure airport for a final landing. The pilot reported that on the final landing the airplane initially touched down on the main landing gear, but when the nose gear contacted the runway, the airplane immediately swerved right and nosed over in the grass beside the runway, resulting in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right wing strut. A witness reported seeing the airplane on final approach with its nose wheel rotated about 75° from its normal alignment. The upper link arm of the nose landing gear torque link assembly had fractured near its upper end, which allowed the nose wheel to rotate freely on the landing gear strut. A laboratory examination revealed evidence of a downward bending overstress failure. Although the examination also identified an isolated area of preexisting fatigue on the right flange and a closed crack on the left flange, they did not contribute to the bending overstress failure of the upper torque link. Based on the available evidence, the upper link arm fractured earlier in the flight, and the pilot would have been unaware of the damage to the nose gear before the final landing. ## Factual narrative On May 7, 2018, about 1139 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 182E airplane, N3292Y, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Broomfield, Colorado. The commercial pilot sustained minor injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot departed and flew to his private grass airstrip, where he made two uneventful full-stop landings before returning to the departure airport. The pilot reported that he conducted a normal approach to runway 30L, and that the airplane initially touched down on the main landing gear, but when the nose landing gear contacted the runway, the airplane immediately swerved right and nosed over in the grass beside the runway. A witness reported seeing the airplane on final approach to runway 30L with its nose wheel rotated about 75° from its normal alignment. The airplane initially touched down on its main landing gear; however, when the nose wheel contacted the runway, it did not realign with the runway heading; the airplane immediately swerved to the right. The nose landing gear separated from the airplane about 100 yards into the right swerve. The airplane subsequently departed the right runway edge and nosed over. An onsite examination revealed that the vertical stabilizer, rudder, and right wing strut were substantially damaged. The nose landing gear torque link assembly had fractured, which allowed the nose wheel to rotate freely on the landing gear strut. The fractured scissor assembly and associated hardware were retained for additional examination at the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) Materials Laboratory in Washington D.C. The NTSB laboratory examination of the torque link assembly revealed a fracture of the upper link arm near its upper end. The fracture exhibited features consistent with a downward bending overstress failure. The examination also identified an isolated area of preexisting fatigue on the right flange and a closed crack on the left flange, neither of which contributed to the bending overstress failure of the upper torque link. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N3292Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N3292Y-2020-10-31), registration cancelled 2020-10-31, S/N 18254292, built 1962 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 182 (E) - Registry model: [Cessna 182](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-182) (registry code 2072702) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental O-470 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-o-470-series) (registry code 17026, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 18254292 - Year built: 1962 - Engines: Continental O-470-R 230 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Departed: BJC, Denver, CO - Destination: BJC, Denver, CO - Airport: BJC, Rocky Mountain Metropolitan, runway 30L, 7,002 × 75 ft, asphalt - Equipment: Stall warning system ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 86; injuries: minor; flight engineer, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, waiver time limited special; seat: left; restraint: lap only; flight hours: 10,000 total, 800 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 4 knots - Visibility: 30 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 20,000 ft broken - Temperature: 64 °F, dew point 41 °F - Altimeter: 30.17 inHg - Observed at: BJC ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20180507004879A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20180507004879A), May 7, 2018: Cessna 182, Broomfield, CO, Substantial damage. On may 7, 2018 at approximately 1139MDT, a 1962 Cessna 182, registration number N3292Y, serial number 18254292 was substantially damaged while landing at Rocky… ## Docket (6 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 24, 2021, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=97192. 3.4 MB in all. - Pilot statement (roger burnell) (item 1, PDF, 1 page, 201 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9899134&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=01%20-%20Pilot%20Statement%20(Roger%20Burnell)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Witness statement (wyatt kelly) (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 143 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9897889&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=02%20-%20Witness%20Statement%20(Wyatt%20Kelly)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (joshua pritchard) (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 104 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9899401&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=03%20-%20FAA%20Inspector%20Statement%20(Joshua%20Pritchard)_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Materials laboratory factual report 18-079 (item 4, PDF, 8 pages, 10 photos, 2.7 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=7433726&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Materials%20Laboratory%20Factual%20Report%2018-079-Rel.pdf - Weather reports (item 5, PDF, 1 page, 100 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9898319&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=06%20-%20Weather%20Reports-Rel.pdf - Photos (item 6, PDF, 2 pages, 2 photos, 231 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=9899006&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=07%20-%20Photos-Rel.pdf From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.