# NTSB WPR11LA363: Cessna 340A, N340BG, Fullerton, CA, June 1, 2011 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: June 1, 2011, 16:40 local (23:40 UTC) - Place: Fullerton, CA - Coordinates: 33.871944, -117.979721 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=33.8719&lon=-117.9797&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Defining event: [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 2 uninjured - Status: Completed, report February 12, 2013 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB office: Western Pacific Region - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 81366 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=WPR11LA363 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/81366/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81366 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR11LA363 ## Probable cause The pilot's inability to maintain directional control during landing due to the left brake's degraded performance due to oil contamination, which resulted from the fatigue failure of an oil line component. ## Findings NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause. - [Landing gear system: brake](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242): Aircraft › Aircraft systems · Damaged/degraded (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 297 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01023242/cases.md) - [Aircraft capability: braking capability](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061050): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Malfunction; cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061050/cases.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 57 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01061050/cases.md) - [Performance/control parameters: directional control](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020): Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability · Attain/maintain not possible; cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 3,958 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01062020/cases.md) - [Eng oil sys (airframe furnish)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900): Aircraft › Aircraft power plant · Fatigue/wear/corrosion (probable cause); cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 1 case](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900/cases.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 18 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/01057900/cases.md) ## Sequence of events The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened. - [Landing-landing roll: Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power)](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330); cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 4 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 994 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/330/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Loss of control on ground](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230) (defining event); cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 3 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 4,585 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/230/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Runway excursion](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300); cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 6 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 3,643 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/300/sequence.md) - [Landing-landing roll: Landing gear collapse](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094); cases with it: [Cessna 340A, 5 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md?model=2076405), [All aircraft, 1,787 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/094/sequence.md) ## Analysis The pilot reported that, at the conclusion of a flight, he made a normal landing and commenced a turn off the runway. While negotiating the turn toward a taxiway, the left brake ceased to properly function, and the airplane rolled into the soft dirt terrain adjacent to the taxiway. The subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that a weld had fractured in fatigue in the left engine's oil return line, which was located near the left main landing gear wheel assembly. The wheel and brake assembly were covered in oil. The oil significantly inhibited the brake's functionality and effectively reduced the braking capability to zero, which resulted in the pilot's loss of directional control. ## Factual narrative On June 1, 2011, about 1640 Pacific daylight time, a Cessna 340A, N340BG, was substantially damaged when its nose gear collapsed and deformed primary airframe structure in the wheel well. The event occurred when the pilot lost directional control as he taxied off runway 24 following an uneventful landing at the Fullerton Municipal Airport (FUL), Fullerton, California. Neither the airline transport certificated pilot nor passenger was injured. The airplane was registered to and operated by Humanitarian Airlift International, Coto de Caza, California. The personal flight was performed under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The airplane departed Riverside, California, about 1545. According to the pilot, following completion of maintenance he took off to reposition the airplane. No evidence of mechanical anomalies were noted, and his landing at FUL was normal. Near the completion of the landing rollout, with normal and effective breaking, the pilot initiated a turn off the runway. During this event, the left brake system failed, and the airplane veered into soft dirt adjacent to the runway. The nose wheel dug into the dirt and collapsed. During the airplane's subsequent examination by an airframe and powerplant mechanic, a broken weld was found in the left engine's oil return line. The weld was located adjacent to the line's outlet nipple at the rear engine case. The line was routed to the case from the vacuum pump air-oil separator. Leaking oil from this broken weld had coated the rear engine case and left main landing gear brake assembly. According to the mechanic, engine oil on the left gear and wheel/ brake assembly caused braking action on the left brake to be reduced to zero. The weld break appeared related to fatigue. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N340BG](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N340BG-2011-08-15), registration cancelled 2011-08-15, S/N 340A-0068, built 1976 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 340A - Registry model: [Cessna 340A](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-340a) (registry code 2076405) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 340A-0068 - Airframe hours: 4406 - Engines: CONT MOTOR TSIO-520 SER 300 horsepower reciprocating; CONT MOTOR TSIO-520NB 310 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: Humanitarian Airlift International - Registered owner: Humanitarian Airlift International - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, February 17, 2011, 51 hours before - Departed: RIR, Riverside, CA - Destination: FUL, Fullerton, CA - Airport: FUL, Fullerton Municipal, runway 24, 3,121 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 49; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review February 24, 2011; seat: left; flight hours: 3,298 total, 73 in this make and model, 1,250 as pilot in command, 38 in the last 90 days, 16 in the last 30 days, 1 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: variable at 6 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 70 °F, dew point 43 °F - Altimeter: 30.02 inHg - Observed at: FUL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20110601010219I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20110601010219I), Jun 1, 2011: Cessna 340A, Fullerton, CA, Minor damage. N340BG, C340, left brake failed after landing runway 24 at Fullerton Airport at 011635PDT. Subsequently the aircraft went off the left side of the runway into… ## Docket (5 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 11, 2012, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=81366. 3.6 MB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 535 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353970&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Pilot (item 2, .PDF, 109 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353971&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Pilot-Redacted.PDF - Statement of Mechanic (item 3, .PDF, 21 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40353972&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Statement%20of%20Mechanic-Redacted.PDF - Email FAA - NTSB & Damage Photo (item 4, .PDF, 1.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356875&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20FAA%20-%20NTSB%20%26%20Damage%20Photo-Redacted.PDF - Email Curtis to NTSB re Bent Airframe Structure, Photo by J. Wallace (item 5, .PDF, 1.5 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40356876&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Email%20Curtis%20to%20NTSB%20re%20Bent%20Airframe%20Structure,%20Photo%20by%20J.%20Wallace-Redacted.PDF 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.