# NTSB FTW02LA091: Cessna 402C, N38CJ, Albuquerque, NM, March 12, 2002 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: March 12, 2002, 08:30 local (15:30 UTC) - Place: Albuquerque, NM - Coordinates: 35.059574, -106.619926 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=35.0596&lon=-106.6199&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 1 uninjured - Status: Completed, report April 29, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 54331 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=FTW02LA091 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/54331/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54331 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/FTW02LA091 ## Probable cause The failure of the left main landing gear scissors assembly which resulted from improper maintenance. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,main gear strut scissors - failure (cause) - maintenance,installation - improper, other maintenance personnel (cause) ## Analysis The pilot of the Part 135 cargo flight passed the outer marker and lowered the landing gear with "three greens and everything looked normal." He touched down on the runway at the fixed distance markers, held the nose off the ground, and the "plane felt as if the main gear (RH) was locked and I was riding the brakes." After he released pressure on the rudder, the plane drifted to the right, so the pilot lowered the nose wheel to gain steering control to no avail. Subsequently, the plane continued to drift and the left propeller struck the ground and the nose landing gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear had collapsed upon landing. Further examination showed that the left main landing gear Torque Link Assembly P/N 5141005-7 (scissors assembly) had failed. Maintenance had been performed (removed and replaced worn bushings) on the main and nose landing gear scissors assemblies 22.1 hours prior to the accident. ## Factual narrative On March 12, 2002, at 0830 mountain standard time, a Cessna 402C airplane, N38CJ, registered to and operated by Aero Charter and Transport of Albuquerque, New Mexico, was substantially damaged when its right main landing gear collapsed while landing on runway 3 at the Albuquerque International Airport, Albuquerque, New Mexico. The commercial pilot, who was the sole occupant, was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed for the Title14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 135 cargo flight. The flight originated from Show Low, Arizona, at 0740. According to information provided in the enclosed NTSB Pilot/Operator Accident Report (NTSB Form 6120.1/2), the pilot passed the outer marker and lowered the landing gear with "three greens and everything looked normal." He touched down on the runway at the fixed distance markers, held the nose off the ground, and the "plane felt as if the main gear (RH) was locked and I was riding the brakes." After he released pressure on the rudder, the plane drifted to the right, so the pilot lowered the nose wheel to gain steering control to no avail. Subsequently, the plane continued to drift and the left propeller struck the ground and the nose landing gear collapsed, resulting in structural damage to the fuselage. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear had collapsed upon landing. Further examination showed that the left main landing gear Torque Link Assembly P/N 5141005-7 (scissors assembly) had failed. A maintenance document provided by the operator dated March 7, 2002, had an annotation, "Item #23", that read, "L/H & R/H main bushings are worn on scissors." The "Corrective Action" section for Item #23 showed and annotation that the old bushings were removed and replaced. The document showed that the nose gear scissors bushings were also removed and replaced. The aircraft total time annotated on this document was 12, 737.2 hours. The aircraft total time at the accident was 12, 759.3 hours, thus the aircraft had flown 22.1 flight hours since the maintenance performed on the landing gear. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N38CJ](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N38CJ), registered now, S/N 402C0023, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 402C - Registry model: [Cessna 402C](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402c) (registry code 207590R) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 402C-0023 - Airframe hours: 12759 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520-VB 325 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Aero Charter & Transport - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: AAIP, February 4, 2002, 22 hours before - Departed: SOW, Show Low, AR - Destination: ABQ, Albuquerque, NM - Flight plan: IFR - Airport: ABQ, Albuquerque International, runway 03, 10,000 × 150 ft, concrete ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 29; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; last flight review January 4, 2002; seat: left; flight hours: 1,546 total, 286 in this make and model ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 250° at 3 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 43 °F, dew point 48 °F - Altimeter: 30.20 inHg - Observed at: ABQ ## 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 20020312003179A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20020312003179A), Mar 12, 2002: Cessna 402C, Albuquerque, NM, No damage. (.19) On March 12, 2002, at 0830 mountain standard time, a Cessna 402C airplane, N38CJ, registered to and operated by aero charter and transport of… ## Docket (2 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on February 10, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=54331. 1.0 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 443 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392707&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Maintenance Documents (item 2, .PDF, 604 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40392708&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Maintenance%20Documents-Redacted.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.