Cessna 340A accident near Long Beach, California, March 12, 1992
On March 12, 1992 at about 1:30 am local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N1362C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Long Beach, California (Daugherty Field). 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 FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK BELL CRANK PIVOT BOLT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1992 · about 1:30 am local time
- Place
- Long Beach, California · Daugherty Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N1362C · registry record · serial 340A0012
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ATCT CONTROLLERS REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT MADE A NORMAL LANDING AND HAD SLOWED TO A FAST WALK SPEED IN PREPARATION FOR MAKING A 90 DEGREE TURN OFF THE RUNWAY. AS THE AIRCRAFT TURNED, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRCRAFT WAS EXAMINED BY AN FAA AIRWORTHINESS INSPECTOR WHO REPORTED THAT THE PIVOT BOLT FOR THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK BELL CRANK HAD FAILED, WHICH ALLOWED THE BELL CRANK TO SHIFT AND BREAK THE ROD END FITTING. WITHOUT THE DOWN LOCK ASSEMBLY, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. THE INSPECTOR SAID THE FAILED PIVOT BOLT EXHIBITED CLEAR BEACH MARKINGS ON THE FRACTURE FACE. THE PIVOT BOLT, CESSNA PART NUMBER NAS464P4-26, WAS AN ORIGINAL FACTORY INSTALLATION AND HAD ACCUMULATED A TOTAL TIME IN SERVICE OF 2,013 HOURS.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,282 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 158 in the last 90 days; 41 in the last 30 days; 2,125 as pilot in command; 1,495 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,013 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 16, 1992; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-N (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Air, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 10,000 ft by 200 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N1362C the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.