# NTSB CHI95LA073: Cessna 421C, N421AW, Angola, IN, January 21, 1995 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 20, 1995, 19:45 local (Jan 21, 1995, 00:45 UTC) - Place: Angola, IN - Coordinates: 41.640834, -84.99932 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6408&lon=-84.9993&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 3 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 24, 1995 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 9825 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=CHI95LA073 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/9825/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CHI95LA073 ## Probable cause OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR SHOCK STRUT SLEEVE FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - crosswind - landing gear,main gear shock absorbing strut - overload (cause) ## Analysis THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND THEN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE PILOT SAID THE AIRPLANE PULLED TO THE RIGHT AFTER ITS RIGHT TIRE HAD TOUCHED DOWN. A PASSENGER SAID THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR TOUCHED DOWN HARD. ITS TOUCH DOWN WAS FOLLOWED BY A 'THUD' SOUND. AFTER THE THUD SOUND THE RIGHT WING LOWERED UNTIL IT TOUCHED THE RUNWAY. THE ON-SCENE INVESTIGATION REVEALED OVERLOAD FRACTURES ON THE LANDING GEAR'S SHOCK STRUT SLEEVE AND METAL SHAVING IN THE STRUT'S LOWER ATTACH FITTING HOLE. THE LEADING EDGE DEICING BOOTS ON THE WING AND HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD 1/4 TO 1/2 INCH OF ICE COVERING ABOUT 50 PERCENT OF THEIR SURFACE. ## Factual narrative On January 20, 1995, at 1945 eastern standard time (est), a Cessna 421C, N421AW, registered to the Angola Wire Company, Incorporated, of Angola, Indiana, and piloted by a commercially certificated pilot, was substantially damaged when its right main landing gear collapsed during landing roll on runway 5 (4,000' X 75' wet asphalt) at the Tri-State Steuben County Airport, Angola, Indiana. The 14 CFR Part 91 flight had been operating on an IFR flight plan. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The pilot and two passengers reported no injuries. The flight departed Louisville, Kentucky, at 1800 est. According to the pilot, the airplane was "on short final [and] was aligned with [the] runway centerline... ." He said he was compensating for a crosswind using rudder and aileron. As the airplane "leveled, flared, [the] left wheel touched followed by right main at which time the aircraft pulled to the right." One of the airplane's two passengers was sitting in the passenger cabin's rear seat. He said there was a left crosswind and that the pilot touched down the left main gear time first. He said the right main landing gear tire touched down hard followed by a "thud." After the thud sound the passenger saw the right wing descend until it contacted the runway surface. According to this passenger there was about a three-second time difference between the left and right landing gear touchdown. A second passenger said he felt a firm landing that was not different from what he had previously experienced. He said the landing was made on the left main landing gear first followed by the right main landing gear. According to this passenger, the wind was a little stronger than he had previously experienced. A Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) Principal Maintenance Inspector (POI) represented the NTSB during the on-scene investigation. The POI's visual examination of the fractured landing gear components revealed an overload fracture on the shock strut's outer sleeve. The upper end of the sleeve had a circumferentially outward deformation on it. Its lower attach end mounting bolt hole had metal shaved along the edge. A participating FAA Principal Operations Inspector reported the accident airplanes wing and horizontal stabilizer leading edge had approximately 1/4 to 1/2 inch of ice on them. His photographs showed the ice extending about 1/2 the distance between their leading edge and aft edge of the deicing boot. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N421AW](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N421AW), registered now, S/N 421C0807 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 421C - Registry model: [Cessna 421C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421c) (registry code 2076016) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 0807 - Engines: CONTINENTAL GTSI0-520-L 375 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91 - Registered owner: Angola Wire Products - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, September 2, 1994 - Departed: SDF, LOUISVILLE, KY - Destination: ANQ - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ANQ, Tri-State Steuben County, runway 5, 4,000 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 36; private, commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,132 total, 404 in this make and model, 948 as pilot in command, 18 in the last 90 days, 10 in the last 30 days, 5 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night/dark - Wind: 330° at 12 knots - Visibility: 2 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 800 ft overcast - Temperature: 32 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg ## 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 19950120000639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950120000639A), Jan 20, 1995: Cessna 421C, Angola, IN, Substantial damage. Hard crosswind landing and side load collapsed right main gear. Ice on wings and tail contributed to hard landing. (-23) on January 20, 1995, at 1945 EST, a… 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.