Cessna 340 accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico, March 14, 1995
On March 14, 1995 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 340, registered N5432M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Santa Fe, New Mexico (Santa Fe Municipal 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
WORN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY DUE TO INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL AND DELAYED MAINTENANCE BY OPERATORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 14, 1995 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Santa Fe, New Mexico · Santa Fe Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340 · all 340s on the register
- Registration
- N5432M · registry record · serial 340-0033
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED FOR THE SECOND TIME WITHIN 21 DAYS AFTER 7.7 HOURS OF FLIGHT HOURS SINCE THE REPAIR. SINCE THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION THE LANDING GEAR HAD BEEN INSPECTED VARIOUS TIMES AND NUMEROUS GEAR SYSTEM DISCREPANCIES WERE NOTED TO MECHANICS AND OWNERS/OPERATORS. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE SYSTEM BY THE MANUFACTURER'S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE REVEALED 'EXTREME' WEAR IN THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM. A REVIEW OF MAINTENANCE RECORDS DID NOT REVEAL REPLACEMENT OF ANY BUSHINGS IN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ASSEMBLY DURING NUMEROUS LANDING GEAR CHECKS. A CESSNA SERVICE LETTER FOR MAIN LANDING GEAR SIDE BRACE HAD NOT BEEN ACCOMPLISHED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,473 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 1994; 112 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF at 8:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 8,324 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.