Cessna 320 accident near Anchorage, Alaska, May 28, 1993
On May 28, 1993 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N4198T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Anchorage, Alaska (Merrill Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
AN UNDETERMINED FAILURE THAT RESULTED IN AN OVERVOLTAGE CONDITION OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM, OVERHEATING OF THE BATTERY, OVERDRIVE (OVERTORQUE) OF THE LANDING GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM, A DISCONNECT OF THE EMERGENCY EXTENSION SYSTEM, AND A SUSBSEQUENT COLLAPSE OF THE MAIN GEAR WHEN IT COULD NOT BE LOCKED IN THE EXTENDED POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1993 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Anchorage, Alaska · Merrill Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N4198T · no longer on the register · serial 0098
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT DURING FLIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED AN OVERVOLTAGE CONDITION & TURNED OFF THE ELECTRICAL MASTER SWITCH. HE NOTED THAT THE VHF RADIO CIRCUIT BREAKER HAD TRIPPED & THE TURN & BANK INDICATOR SMOKED. HE SAID THAT ABOUT 10 MILES FROM THE AIRPORT, HE TURNED THE MASTER SWITH BACK ON & TRIED TO RESET THE CIRCUIT BREAKER, BUT AGAIN HE NOTED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. HE SAID THE LANDING GEAR EXTENDED VERY FAST & HARD, BUT IT DID NOT LOCK. WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION PROCEDURE, THE CRANK DID NOT WORK. THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING. AN EXAM OF THE ELECTRICAL SYSTEM DISCLOSED A CHARRED & EXPANDED BATTERY. THE DOWN LIMIT SWITCH FOR THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR HAD BROKEN FROM ITS MOUNT BY THE UPPER BELL CRANK TRAVELING BEYOND THE DOWN LIMIT; A TEARDOWN OF THE LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR ASSEMBLY DISCLOSED EVIDENCE OF OVERTRAVEL. THE ALTERNATORS, VOLTAGE REGULATORS & OVER VOLTAGE RELAY ALL TESTED WITHIN ALLOWABLE LIMITS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 10,260 hours in all; 5,800 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 10,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,097 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 10, 1992; 143 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
- Operator: Aeromap US INC
The flight
- Departed from: MRI at 2:30 pm
- Destination: MRI
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24, 4,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 90 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:02 pm from MRI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.