Cessna 320 N5711X
17 April 1993 · Mesa, Arizona, United States · No injuries
Summary
On 17 April 1993 at about 19:35 local time, a Cessna 320 registered N5711X, operated by John T. Rooney, was involved in an accident near Mesa, Arizona, United States. 2 people were on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.
The record
- Date
- at 19:35
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Mesa, Arizona, United States
- Nearest airport
- Mesa Falcon Field (FFZ)
- Coordinates
- 33.4406, -111.8497
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320
- Registration
- N5711X
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- John T. Rooney
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Unknown → Payson
- Aircraft damage
- Substantial
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Day
- NTSB number
- LAX93LA179
People
Nobody was injured.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
Probable cause
the separation of the steering spring from the steering yoke assembly due to inadequate installation. A factor in the accident was inadequate maintenance on the aircraft.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.
Read the full NTSB narrative
WHILE APPROACHING HIS ORIGINAL DESTINATION THE PILOT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND IMMEDIATELY EXPERIENCED A JAMMED RUDDER CONTROL SYSTEM. THE PILOT SAID THAT RETRACTING THE LANDING GEAR RESOLVED THE CONTROL PROBLEM. THE PILOT ELECTED TO RETURN TO MESA WHERE CRASH FIRE RESCUE EQUIPMENT WAS AVAILABLE. WHILE ORBITING THE AIRPORT ANOTHER AIRCRAFT CONFIRMED THAT THE NOSE LANDING GEAR WAS COCKED ABOUT 90 DEGREES TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND LANDED. AS THE NOSE WHEEL TOUCHED THE RUNWAY THE AIRCRAFT GROUND LOOPED TO THE RIGHT, COLLAPSING THE NOSE AND RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRFRAME AND POWER PLANT MECHANIC. ACCORDING TO HIS REPORT, THE RIGHT HAND STEERING SPRING WAS FOUND SEPARATED FROM THE STEERING YOKE. THE PIN, WASHER AND COTTER PIN WHICH ATTACH THE STEERING SPRING TO THE YOKE ASSEMBLY WAS NOT LOCATED. ACCORDING TO THE MAINTENANCE RECORDS, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS REPLACED IN OCTOBER 1991, ABOUT 200 FLIGHT HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Cessna 320 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 21 Apr 1993 | Cessna 320C | No. Little Rock, Arkansas, United States | Sky Trader Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 30 Oct 1993 | Cessna 320C | Spirit Lake, Idaho, United States | Chapman, E.l. | No injuries | - |
| 28 May 1993 | Cessna 320 | Anchorage, Alaska, United States | Aeromap US Inc | No injuries | - |
| 9 Feb 1994 | Cessna 320F | Goshen, Indiana, United States | - | Fatal | 1 |
| 28 Aug 1994 | Cessna 320B | Hood River, Oregon, United States | Knoll, Ronald K. | Serious injuries | - |
| 18 Jun 1992 | Cessna 320D | Aztec, New Mexico, United States | Dabbs, Thurman C. | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 25 Jan 1993 | Piper PA-23-150 | Eloy, Arizona, United States | R.finkenbine & R. Kestler | Serious injuries | - |
| 8 Aug 1993 | Bell 206L1 | Tusayan, Arizona, United States | Papillon Airways, Inc. | Serious injuries | - |
| 26 Nov 1993 | Bellanca 8KCAB | Buckeye, Arizona, United States | LOU ANN Behringer | Minor injuries | - |
| 1 May 1993 | Mooney M20J | Sedona, Arizona, United States | - | Fatal | 2 |
| 26 Apr 1993 | Beechcraft 58 | Tucson, Arizona, United States | JAY M. Supkoff | Fatal | 2 |
| 3 Dec 1993 | Braegger GL NIEUPORT 17 | Chandler, Arizona, United States | Michael K. Braegger | No injuries | - |