- Date
- October 27, 1995, 16:00 local (20:00 UTC)
- Place
- Grt Barrington, MA
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N2UDCessna 414A
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report May 29, 1996
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19951027034879A
- Case key
- 39120
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 pilot's inadequate compensation for wind conditions, which resulted in an undershoot of the proper touchdown point for landing. Factors relating to the accident were: the unfavorable wind conditions and the exposed runway lip.
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
As the pilot was landing on runway 11, which was 2,600 feet long and 50 feet wide, the airplane touched down short of the runway lip, and the right main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then skidded off the right side of the runway onto the grass, and struck a fence. According to the pilot, 'just prior to normal touchdown, the airplane dropped from a downdraft or from wind shear.' The wind was reported to be from 120 degrees at 20, gusting 30 knots.
Factual narrative
On October 27, 1995, about 1600 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 414A, N2UD, undershot the runway and collapsed the landing gear at the Great Barrington Airport, Great Barrington, Massachusetts. The airplane was substantially damaged. The commercial pilot was not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed. The personal flight originated in Bridgeport, Connecticut, and was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
While performing a landing on runway 11, which was 2,600 feet long and 50 feet wide, the pilot touched down 1 foot short and approximately 8 inches below the runway surface, resulting in the main landing gear collapsing. The airplane then skidded off the right side of the runway onto the grass, and struck a fence.
According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:
...just prior to a normal touchdown the airplane dropped...and [the] right wheel touched down...before the runway pavement...ripped off the right gear...plane rolled out on the left gear, right wing and tail...onto the grass on the right of the runway.
The pilot's total flight time was 2,036.7 hours, with 255.3 hours in this make and model airplane.
The reported winds were 120 degrees, at 20 knots, gusts to 30 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2UD
- Reported as
- Cessna 414A
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 414A0315
- Airframe hours
- 3,176
- Engine
- Continental TSIOL-550, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Quantum Aviation Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · December 4, 1994 · 154 hours before
- Departed
- BDR · Bridgeport, CT
- Destination
- GBR
- Airport
- GBR · Great Barrington, runway 11, 2,600 × 50 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
- 65
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine sea, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 2,037 total · 255 in this make and model · 1,804 as pilot in command · 38 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 120° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility
- 5 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 6,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.