North American NAVION accident near Monett, Missouri, August 29, 2016
On August 29, 2016 at about 2:30 pm local time, a 1946 North American NAVION, registered N91488, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Monett, Missouri (Monett Rgnl 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
Maintenance personnel’s failure to properly rig the right main landing gear locking mechanism, which resulted in a gear collapse during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2016 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Monett, Missouri · Monett Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION A, built 1946 · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N91488 · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The commercial pilot stated that, during the landing roll following a normal landing, the airplane began pulling to the right. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and traveled down an embankment and through a barbed wire fence. When the pilot inspected the airplane, he noted that the right main landing gear (MLG) had collapsed. An examination of the landing gear found that the locking mechanism had been improperly rigged. Several weeks before the accident, the airplane's right MLG was damaged in an incident and had been replaced with a serviceable unit. A review of maintenance records noted that a gear retraction test was conducted after the replacement and described as satisfactory. It is likely that during this maintenance, the landing gear was improperly rigged, which resulted in its collapse on the accident flight.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 26, 2015; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-BA (piston); 1,385 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 18MO Ozark MO at 2:00 pm
- Destination: HFJ Monett MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.19 inHg
- Observation at 2:30 pm from KHFJ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 29, 2017. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation Plum | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.