Cessna 421B N41053

Summary

On 20 September 2003 at about 23:30 local time, a Cessna 421B registered N41053 was involved in an accident near Driggs, Idaho, 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.

Date

20 September 2003 at 23:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Driggs, Idaho, United States

Nearest airport

Driggs-Reed Memorial Airport (U59)

Coordinates

43.7386, -111.1047

Aircraft

Cessna 421B

Registration

N41053

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Casper → Driggs

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

SEA03LA192

Nobody was injured.

The collapse of the nose landing gear while taxiing due to the failure of the nose wheel bearing. A factor was the lack of lubrication.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

After landing and proceeding on the centerline, the pilot began to make a right turn following the taxi marker onto a taxiway. When the aircraft was off the runway, a brief and unusual nose wobble was detected. The nose of the aircraft then dropped to the runway and the propellers struck the pavement, causing the aircraft to come to an immediate stop. After separating from the aircraft, the nose wheel was observed approximately 3 to 5 feet from where it came to rest. It was observed that the wheel was smoking from the heat at the center bearing axle shaft, and there was a considerable amount of debris scattered near the front and rear of the aircraft. There was also debris from the nose wheel bearing housing found as far as 500 feet behind the aircraft. The nose landing gear structural attach points were substantially damaged. An FAA inspector reported the nose wheel bearing had failed and separated from the nose fork. The inspector also reported that the bearing and roller retainer on one side of the axle had disintegrated and was missing, while the bearing on the opposite side was void of any lubrication.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.