- Date
- September 6, 1993, 09:30 local (16:30 UTC)
- Place
- Potrero, CA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Landing
- Aircraft
- N4847DCessna 182A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 30, 1994
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19930906033079A
- Case key
- 28467
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
The overload failure of the upper nose gear torque link and the subsequent separation of the nose wheel and fork assembly from the nose gear strut. A factor in the accident was the surface irregularity in the dirt landing strip.
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
The touchdown and initial ground roll were normal until the aircraft encountered a raised surface irregularity in the dirt airstrip. The nose wheel lifted after contact with the irregularity, and, when the nose wheel contacted the ground again, the landing gear collapsed. The aircraft nosed over. The nose wheel and fork assembly separated from the nose strut as the nose wheel was lifted off the airstrip by the irregularity. The upper torque link had failed at a point about one inch below the upper attach point. The aircraft was examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors who reported that the upper torque link fracture face exhibited overload characteristics with a clean appearance, and no discoloration or beach markings were evident.
Factual narrative
On September 6, 1993, at 0930 hours Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 182A, N4847D, encountered a surface irregularity during the landing roll on a dirt airstrip near Potrero, California. After encountering the irregularity, the nose gear collapsed and the aircraft nosed over onto it's back. The aircraft was owned and operated by the pilot and was on a local area personal flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed for the operation. The aircraft incurred substantial damage. The certificated commercial pilot and his one passenger were not injured. The flight originated at San Diego, California, on the day of the mishap at 0900 hours.
In his statement, the pilot reported that the touchdown and initial ground roll were normal until the aircraft encountered a raised surface irregularity in the dirt airstrip. The nose wheel lifted after contact with the irregularity, and, when the nose wheel contacted the ground again, the landing gear appeared to collapse. The aircraft subsequently nosed over. The pilot stated that the nose wheel and fork assembly separated from the nose strut as the nose wheel was lifted off the airstrip by the irregularity. The pilot observed that the upper torque link had failed at a point about one inch below the upper attach point.
The aircraft was examined by FAA airworthiness inspectors from the San Diego Flight Standards District Office with assistance from a mechanic who also holds an Inspection Authorization. The inspectors reported that the upper torque link fracture face exhibited overload characteristics with a clean appearance, and no discoloration or beach markings evident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4847D
- Reported as
- Cessna 182A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34947
- Airframe hours
- 3,108
- Engine
- Continental O-470-L, 230 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- David P. Mcrae
- Registered owner
- C. J. Bagget & D. P. Mcrae
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 12, 1992 · 70 hours before
- Departed
- SEE · San Diego, CA
- Airport
- runway 9, 1,200 × 15 ft, dirt
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
- 26
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 457 total · 180 in this make and model · 424 as pilot in command · 29 in the last 90 days · 5 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 75 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.