# NTSB LAX84LA385: Cessna 500, N555CC, Gualala, CA, July 8, 1984

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 7, 1984, 18:30 local (Jul 8, 1984, 01:30 UTC)
- Place: Gualala, CA
- Coordinates: 38.82024, -123.510536 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8202&lon=-123.5105&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 6 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 24335
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=LAX84LA385
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/24335/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX84LA385

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - airport facilities,runway/landing area condition - soft (cause)
  - unsafe/hazardous condition warning - not issued (contributing factor)
  - information unavailable, pilot in command
  - insufficient standards/requirements, faa(organization)
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - landing gear,main gear - overload (contributing factor)
  - landing gear,main gear - failure,total (contributing factor)
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment

## Analysis

ON AN AIR TAXI FLT TO A PRIVATELY OWNED, PUBLIC USE ARPT, THE TRANSPORT CATEGORY ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HARD, 7 FT BEYOND THE BEGINNING OF THE 2500-FT-LONG RWY. THE HARD SURFACED RWY'S STRENGTH WAS INADEQUATE TO SUPPORT THE ACFT'S 9500 LB LDG WEIGHT & THE ACFT'S LEFT WHEEL PENETRATED THROUGH THE 3/8 INCH THICK RWY SURFACE CREATING A 4 INCH DEEP HOLE. AS THE ACFT CONTINUED ITS LDG ROLLOUT THE LEFT LDG GEAR BROKE & SEPARATED FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH A SHALLOW DIRT EMBANKMENT. THE ARPT WAS BEING OPERATED UNDER A STATE OF CA PERMIT, ISSUED IN THE BASIC UTILITY 1 CLASS & IT WAS DESIGNED FOR LIGHT ACFT HAVING A GROSS WEIGHT OF 6000 LBS OR UNDER. THIS INFORMATION WAS NOT DISSEMINATED BY THE FAA IN EITHER ITS AIRPORT/FACILITY DIRECTORY OR ON THE CURRENT AIRPORT MASTER RECORD. THE PIC'S REQUIRED FIRST CLASS AIRMAN MEDICAL CERTIFICATE HAD EXPIRED. THE RWY LENGTH WAS SHORTER THAN REQUIRED FOR THE AIR TAXI OPERATION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N555CC (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 500
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 500-0039
- Airframe hours: 4867
- Engines: P&W JT15D-1 2200 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Registered owner: Santa Barbara Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: 100 hour, February 23, 1984, 27 hours before
- Departed: BFL, BAKERSFIELD, CA
- Destination: Q69, GUALALA, CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: Q69, Ocean Ridge, runway 31, 2,500 × 50 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; flight hours: 4,600 total, 250 in this make and model, 4,040 as pilot in command, 122 in the last 90 days, 40 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 330° at 2 knots, gusting 4
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 81 °F

## 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 19840707076499A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19840707076499A), Jul 7, 1984: Cessna 500CESSNA, Gualala, CA, Substantial damage. On landing main wheel penetrated thin runway surface, gear separated. Runway too short for citation 135 landing.

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.

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