# NTSB NYC95LA201: Cessna 310B, N661R, Monticello, NY, August 21, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: August 21, 1995, 15:50 local (19:50 UTC)
- Place: Monticello, NY
- Coordinates: 41.649028, -74.679672 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=41.6490&lon=-74.6797&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report April 3, 1997
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 39036
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA201
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/39036/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA201

## Probable cause

fatigue failure of the right main landing gear during the landing, which resulted in a gear collapse, loss of directional control, and subsequent collision with an embankment.

## Sequence of events

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

- Main gear collapsed, landing
  - landing gear,main gear strut - fatigue (cause)
  - landing gear,main gear strut - failure,total (cause)
- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - directional control - not possible, pilot in command
  - ground loop/swerve
- On ground/water encounter with terrain/water, landing - roll
  - terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment

## Analysis

During the landing roll, the right main gear collapsed, and the airplane veered off the runway into an embankment. Postaccident investigation revealed that the right main landing gear failed through the weld that held the socket-strut, strut-tube, and plate-reinforcement together. Metallurgical examination of the fracture revealed that the failure was due to fatigue.

## Factual narrative

On August 21, 1995, about 1550 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 310B, airplane, N661R, was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during the landing, at the Monticello Airport, Monticello, New York.  The private pilot and passenger were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the personal flight that departed from Sussex, New Jersey.  There was no flight plan for the flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

In the NTSB form 6120.1/2, the pilot stated:

". . .At touchdown on runway 01, the right wheel fell off. . . .Upon leaving blacktop, airplane spun around and stopped beside runway. . . .Upon examination of wheel and strut, a weld broke causing wheel to fall off. . . ."

The pilot reported that the airplane came to rest in a large embankment.

Additionally, the right main landing gear assembly was examined by the National Transportation Safety Board Metallurgist Lab, Washington, District of Columbia.  The metallurgist's factual report stated:  "Examination of the fracture faces on the received pieces revealed features typical of fatigue cracking adjacent to the inner surface of the weld.  The fatigue cracking initiated from multiple origins located at the inboard and outboard sides of the strut assembly. . . .Subsequent examination of the fracture faces revealed no evidence of corrosion pitting either at the fatigue crack origins or in any other areas of the fracture."

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N661R](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N661R-1996-03-20), registration cancelled 1996-03-20, S/N 35033 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 310B
- Registry model: [Cessna 310](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-310) (registry code 2074202) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 35033
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-540-A1A5 290 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Allan E. Cramer
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: Annual, September 16, 1994
- Departed: N63, SUSSEX, NJ
- Destination: N37
- Airport: N37, Monticello, runway 1, 2,845 × 31 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 40; private; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 426 total, 14 in this make and model, 303 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 26 in the last 30 days, 3 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 15 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 19950821049249A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950821049249A), Aug 21, 1995: Cessna 310, Monticello, NY, Substantial damage. (-16) Failure of right main landing gear lower strut, caused aircraft to veer off runway causing substantial damage to aircraft. Lower strut sent to Cessna…

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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