Cessna 414 accident near New York, New York, March 14, 2011
On March 14, 2011 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Cessna 414, registered N40NY, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near New York, New York (Long Island Macarthur Airport). It was a personal 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 improper rigging of the right main landing gear, which resulted in ovestress fractures of a bolt and aft lug on the trunnion assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 2011 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- New York, New York · Long Island Macarthur Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 UNDESIGNAT · all 414s on the register
- Registration
- N40NY · registry record · serial 414-0160
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that before landing, he confirmed all landing gears were down and locked. He performed a normal landing on runway 6 about 100 knots, and during the landing roll he applied the brakes. After rolling about 200 to 300 feet, while traveling about 70 to 75 knots, he began to apply right rudder to turn onto runway 10. During the turn, the right main landing gear slowly began to collapse causing the right wing to contact the runway. The airplane departed the runway and collided with a runway marker sign. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the bellcrank was separated from the attach point on the right trunnion assembly, the aft lug of the right trunnion assembly was fractured, and the bolt that secures the bellcrank to the right trunnion assembly was also fractured in overstress. The fractured components were submitted to the NTSB’s Materials Laboratory for further examination, and the parts revealed no evidence of preexisting cracking. While the bolt diameter was less than the minimum specified, that condition did not contribute to the fracture trunnion aft lug or the bolt. Several days before the accident, a serviceable right trunnion assembly was installed during an annual inspection, and the airplane was approved for return to service. The airplane had been operated for about 2 hours since the serviceable trunnion assembly was installed. Cessna engineering personnel reported that overstress fracture of the trunnion aft lug can occur when the landing gear is improperly rigged such that the upper and lower side links of the main landing gear are not over center, which transmits the load path from the main landing gear to the trunnion lugs.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 55 in the last 30 days; 25,000 as pilot in command; 2,700 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 20, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,825 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,321 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2011; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,350 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-JB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ISP New York NY at 3:45 pm
- Destination: ISP New York NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 7,006 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 7 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 pm from ISP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.