# NTSB ERA23LA180: Cessna 421C, N880JS, Leesburg, VA, April 5, 2023 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Class 4 · Limited · Final report - Date: April 5, 2023, 14:00 local (18:00 UTC) - Place: Leesburg, VA · On KJYO Airport - Coordinates: 39.077972, -77.5575 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.0780&lon=-77.5575&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed - Report: Approved by Office Director - Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish - NTSB office: Eastern Region Aviation - Parties: FAA/FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 107014 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=ERA23LA180 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/107014/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107014 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA23LA180 ## Probable cause Separation of the left man landing gear scissor hardware, which resulted in a loss of directional control and subsequent runway excursion during landing. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Misc hardware: fasteners](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071430): Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware · Not installed/available (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071430/cases.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 58 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01071430/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 2 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2076016), [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. - [Landing-flare/touchdown: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Unknown: Part(s) separation from AC](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 563 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/338/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 421C, 9 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2076016), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot was landing the airplane and reported that as the main landing gear touched down on the runway the airplane immediately veered to the left. The pilot applied right rudder control input but was unable to control the airplane’s direction. The left main landing gear then collapsed as the airplane departed the runway surface and the airplane came to a stop off the left side of the runway. The airplane’s left wing was substantially damaged during the accident. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector examined the airplane after the accident. He observed that the left main landing gear trunnion was cracked and that the strut had separated from the trunnion. The inspector also found that the hardware connecting the scissor link was missing and that the scissor link did not display damage consistent with a shearing action or other abnormal stress. Given this information it is likely that the hardware securing the scissor was not present at the time of the landing, which allowed the left main landing gear wheel to freely castor about the strut, resulting in the loss of directional control at touchdown. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N880JS](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N880JS), registered now, S/N 421C-0489, built 1979 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 421C - Registry model: [Cessna 421C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-421c) (registry code 2076016) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental GTSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-gtsio-520-series) (registry code 17046, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 421C-0489 - Year built: 1979 - Airframe hours: 4873.6 - Engines: Continental GTSIO-520-L2B 375 horsepower reciprocating; Continental GTSIO-520-L2B 375 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Executive/Corporate, Part 91 - Operator: Bravo Aviation LLC - Registered owner: Bravo Aviation LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, October 1, 2022 - Departed: MQY, Smyrna, TN - Destination: JYO, Leesburg, VA - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: JYO, Leesburg Exec, runway 17, 5,500 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 42; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 3, with waivers/limitations; last flight review October 15, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 3-point; flight hours: 913 total, 158 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 180° at 15 knots, gusting 23 - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 32 °F, dew point 32 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: JYO - METAR: 1800Z 18015G23 SKC 10SM 30/16 A3000 ## 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 20230405004459A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230405004459A), Apr 5, 2023: Cessna 421C, Leesburg, VA, Substantial damage. 04/05/2020 – 1300 – Aircraft [privacy data omitted] veered off of runway 17 at kjyo upon landing. The aircraft experienced a left yaw as the main landing gear… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 22, 2024, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=107014. 14.5 MB in all. - Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16648324&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=6120_Redacted-Rel.pdf - FAA inspector statement (item 2, PDF, 1 page, 50 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16647983&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=FAA%20Inspector%20Statement-Rel.pdf - Witness statements (item 3, PDF, 2 pages, 2.0 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16648513&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Witness%20Statements_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Airframe maintenance logs (excerpt) (item 4, PDF, 3 pages, 3 photos, 6.8 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16685875&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Airframe%20MX%20Log_Redacted-Rel.pdf - Investigative photographs (item 5, PDF, 9 pages, 8 photos, 3.6 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=16685780&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Investigative%20Photographs-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.