Cessna 401A accident near Monroe, North Carolina, September 19, 1983
On September 19, 1983 at about 6:48 pm local time, a Cessna 401A, registered N401HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monroe, North Carolina (Monroe airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 accident. 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
- September 19, 1983 · about 6:48 pm local time
- Place
- Monroe, North Carolina · Monroe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 401A · all 401As on the register
- Registration
- N401HW · registry record · serial 401A-0045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE LEFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED ON THE ACFT AS IT WAS BEING TAXIED INTO THE RAMP. AFTER TURNING LEFT INTO THE HUB AREA THE LANDING GEAR HORN SOUNDED AND THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED, ACCORDING TO THE PLT. A FLT INSTRUCTOR WHO WITNESSED THE ACCIDENT SAID THE ACFT'3 TAXI SPEED SEEMED EXCESSIVE. HE SAID HE SAW THE GEAR BENDING EXCESSIVELY BEFORE THE COLLAPSE. DURING INSPECTION BY A FAA INSPECTOR THE GEAR REPORTEDLY SHOWED EVIDENCE OF HAVING BEEN SUBJECTED TO HEAVY SIDELOADING AS IT MIGHT IN A LEFT TURN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,359 hours in all; 905 in this make and model; 133 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,442 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1983; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E9 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 2A4 Washington GA at 6:00 pm
- Destination: EQY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from CLT, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.