Cessna A185F accident near Farmington, New Mexico, August 11, 2010
On August 11, 2010 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Cessna A185F, registered N4492, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Farmington, New Mexico (Four Corners Regional airport). It was a personal 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
Pre-existing damage of the through-bolt that attached the inboard end of the gear leg to the airframe hard-point, likely caused during maintenance on the gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 2010 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Farmington, New Mexico · Four Corners Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A185F · all A185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N4492 · registry record · serial 18502971
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that very little crosswind correction was required as he landed on runway 25. After rolling a few hundred feet, the airplane "swerved very strongly to the right." Opposite brake and rudder had no effect and the airplane departed the runway and impacted terrain. The left landing gear collapsed and the left wing and elevator sustained leading edge damage. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors found that the through-bolt that attached the inboard end of the gear leg to the airframe hard-point had pre-existing damage. Further examination found that threads from the failed nut remained stuck in the threads of the bolt, indicating that the nut failed and stripped off the bolt, leaving the inboard end of the gear leg loose and free to move up and down. This allowed the gear leg to move forward and aft. The chaffing on the longeron, inboard of the gear leg attach point, was indicative that the bolt-nut combination had been loose for some time. There were indications of looseness on the right gear leg attach bolt after the leg was removed for transport.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Gear attach fittings (on fus) › Damaged/degraded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,159 hours in all; 337 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 954 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,371 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 5, 2009; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,525 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SSF San Antonio TX at 1:02 pm
- Destination: FMN Farmington NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 6,704 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from FMN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.