Embraer EMB-110P1 incident near Clarksburg, West Virginia, January 12, 1982
On January 12, 1982 at about 3:45 pm local time, a Embraer EMB-110P1, registered N615KC, suffered minor damage in an incident near Clarksburg, West Virginia (Benedum airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1982 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Clarksburg, West Virginia · Benedum
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Embraer EMB-110P1 · all EMB-110P1s on the register
- Registration
- N615KC · no longer on the register · serial 230
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAXI OUT FROM GREENSBORO, NC, THE CAPTAIN NOTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS PULLING TO THE RIGHT. THE PROBLEM ALLEVIATED ITSELF WHEN THE PILOT TAPPED THE RIGHT BRAKE. AFTER A NORMAL TAKEOFF, THE COPILOT NOTICED DURING GEAR RETRACTION THAT THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL APPEARED TO BE CANTED OUT OF POSITION. AFTER THE GEAR RETRACTION CYCLE, THE GEAR IN-TRANSIT LIGHT REMAINED ILLUMINATED AND THE CREW DECIDED TO DIVERT TO THE OPERATORS BASE AT CLARKSBURG, WV. AFTER BURNING OFF FUEL, THE GEAR WAS LOWERED FOR LANDING AND IT WAS NOTED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN WHEEL WAS ROTATED 90 DEGREES TO ITS NORMAL POSITION. THE ENSUING PRECAUTIONARY LANDING WAS NORMAL WITH NO DAMAGE OR INJURY. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT GEAR TORQUE LINK ASSEMBLY HAD BROKEN DUE TO STRIPPED THREADS ON SEVERAL OF THE ATTACHING BOLTS. THE STRIPPED THREADS ALLOWED A SIDE LOAD TO SHEAR THE LOCKING PLATE DURING NORMAL GROUND OPERATIONS. A REVIEW OF THE MAINTENANCE MANUAL REVEALED SPECIFIC TORQUE VALUES WERE NOT LISTED, THUS ALLOWING THE BOLTS TO BE UNDER TORQUED.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,200 hours in all; 1,260 in this make and model; 230 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,536 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 13,000 lb
- Seats: 20
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P & W PT6A-34 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Greensboro NC at 8:30 am
- Destination: CKB Beckley WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 5,200 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 111°F (44°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 10:45 am from NWS, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.