Cessna 320 accident near Middleton, Wisconsin, January 24, 1991
On January 24, 1991 at about 3:10 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N4112T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Middleton, Wisconsin (Morey airport). 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
THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING LANDING ROLLOUT DUE TO EXTREME COLD TEMPERATURES. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS A SNOWBANK ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 24, 1991 · about 3:10 pm local time
- Place
- Middleton, Wisconsin · Morey · 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
- N4112T · no longer on the register · serial 320D0012
- 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 AFTER TAKEOFF HE FAILED TO GET A GEAR UP AND LOCKED INDICATION. AFTER UNSUCCESSFUL ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR, HE ELECTED TO RETURN FOR LANDING. A FLY-BY WAS EXECUTED FOR VERIFICATION OF A GEAR DOWN EXTENSION. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED FOLLOWED BY THE LEFT. THE NOSE GEAR REMAINED EXTENDED. THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY INTO A SNOW BANK AND SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION FAILED TO REVEAL A MECHANICAL CAUSE OF THE GEAR MALFUNCTION. THE OUTSIDE AIR TEMPERATURE WAS ABOUT ZERO F. AND HAD BEEN AS LOW AS 10 DEGREES BELOW PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT, WHICH COULD CONTRIBUTE TO GEAR RETRACTION MALFUNCTION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,791 hours in all; 75 in this make and model; 1,780 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 2,970 ft by 38 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:52 pm from MSN, 5 miles away
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.