- Date
- May 1, 1998, 09:00 local (15:00 UTC)
- Place
- Greybull, WY
- Injuries
- 5 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N3316QCessna 320D
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report January 28, 2000
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19980501008219A
- Case key
- 20591
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Stress overload failure of the bellcrank assembly of the left landing gear.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
After landing, the pilot turned the airplane around and back taxied towards the ramp. As he exited the runway, the left landing gear collapsed. Postaccident inspection revealed that the left landing gear bellcrank assembly sustained a stress overload, causing the assembly to break and shear both assembly bolts. The gear retract arm was also found broken. When the gear collapsed, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer struck the ground and were substantially damaged.
Factual narrative
On May 1, 1998, approximately 0900 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 320D, N3316Q, operated by Star West Industries, Inc., was substantially damaged while taxiing after landing at Greybull, Wyoming. The airline transport rated pilot and his four passengers were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the air taxi flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 135, and an IFR flight had been filed. The flight originated at Evanston, Wyoming approximately 0745.
After landing on runway 33 at South Bighorn County Airport, the pilot turned the airplane around and back taxied towards the ramp. As he exited the runway, the left landing gear collapsed. Postaccident inspection of the landing gear performed by an FAA inspector revealed that the left landing gear bellcrank assembly sustained a stress overload, causing the assembly to break and shear both assembly bolts. The gear retract arm was also found broken. When the gear collapsed, the left wing and left horizontal stabilizer struck the ground and were substantially damaged.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3316Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 320D
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 320D-0116
- Airframe hours
- 4,536
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-ECBB, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Registered owner
- Star West Industries, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 26, 1998 · 7 hours before
- Departed
- EVW · Evanston, WY
- Destination
- GEY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- GEY · South Big Horn County, runway 33, 6,300 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 57
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 15,508 total · 800 in this make and model · 159 in the last 90 days · 42 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 30 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 45 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.