Cessna 320C accident near Sacramento, California, February 27, 1982
On February 27, 1982 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 320C, registered N14MC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sacramento, California (Exec airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1982 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Sacramento, California · Exec
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320C · all 320Cs on the register
- Registration
- N14MC · registry record · serial 32060008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON THE PREVIOUS FLIGHT, THE LANDING GEAR WAS CYCLED TWO OR THREE TIMES WITHOUT A SAFE INDICATION WHILE USING THE NORMAL GEAR EXTENSION SYSTEM. THE GEAR WAS THEN HAND CRANKED DOWN AND A SAFE LIGHT WAS OBTAINED. AFTER THE FLIGHT, A GEAR RETRACTION TEST WAS COMPLETED BY A LOCAL FACILITY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD RECEIVED A PHONE CALL FROM THIS FACILITY AND WAS INFORMED THAT THE GEAR HAD BEEN CYCLED THREE TIMES AND WAS OK FOR FLIGHT. HOWEVER, AS THE STARTED TO TAXI ON THE NEXT FLIGHT, THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER THE PLANE TRAVELED ABOUT EIGHT TO TEN FEET. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE "PUSH-PULL" ROD, PN 081-000-58, ON THE DOWNLOCK ASSEMBLY HAD BEEN BENT. THIS COULD RESULT IN A REDUCTION OF THE TRAVEL OF THE LANDING GEAR, NOT ALLOWING THE GEAR TO TRAVEL TO THE FULL DOWN AND LOCK POSITION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 270 in this make and model; 155 in the last 90 days; 2,850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,316 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Contiental TSIO-470-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sacramento CA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.