Cessna 320 accident near St. Clair, Missouri, July 22, 1989
On July 22, 1989 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna 320, registered N314D, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. Clair, Missouri (St. Clair airport). It was a business 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 LANDING GEAR RETRACTION/EXTENTION SYSTEM FAILED FOR UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1989 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- St. Clair, Missouri · St. Clair · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N314D · registry record · serial 320C0067
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE PILOT SAID THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED IN SEQUENTIAL ORDER OF RIGHT MAIN, NOSE WHEEL AND THE LEFT MAIN GEAR. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO MALFUNCTION OF ELECTRICAL OR MECHANICAL PORTION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM.
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: 3,850 hours in all; 820 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 3,644 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,481 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 21, 1988; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-470-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UBX Cuba MO at 11:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 3,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.