Cessna 320F accident near Phoenix, Arizona, June 21, 2011
On June 21, 2011 at about 4:25 pm local time, a Cessna 320F, registered N6160Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Phoenix, Arizona (Phoenix Deer Valley 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic's failure to properly secure the nose landing gear actuator push-pull tube to the landing gear door hinge clevis, which resulted in the gear jamming and not fully retracting after takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 2011 · about 4:25 pm local time
- Place
- Phoenix, Arizona · Phoenix Deer Valley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320F · all 320Fs on the register
- Registration
- N6160Q · no longer on the register · serial 320F-0010
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while conducting a preflight inspection of the airplane he observed that the left main landing gear strut appeared low. He contacted a maintenance facility to service the strut and to fill the oxygen bottle. Once maintenance was finished, the pilot and passengers loaded the airplane and departed. During the initial climb, the pilot heard a noise as he raised the landing gear handle; he visually checked the landing gear and observed that the nose landing gear was partially retracted. He cycled the landing gear multiple times; however, there was no change in the landing gear's position. The pilot elected to land the airplane on the runway with the nose gear partially retracted. During the landing, the pilot kept the airplane slow with the nose gear off of the ground as long as possible. When the nose gear contacted the runway, the airplane skidded to a stop. A postaccident examination of the airframe by a Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) inspector revealed that the landing gear actuator push-pull tube end bolt was still secured tightly to the rod end; however, it was disconnected from the nose gear door hinge clevis. No damage was noted to the rod end bolt or the clevis, ruling out a mechanical impact-related force separating the two. The maintenance technician who worked on the airplane noted that he had the nose gear doors disconnected to gain access to the oxygen bottle valve and control cable and, after filling the bottle, thought he had reconnected both doors. He said that he normally installs the bolt and nut back into the actuating rod end finger-tight so he does not lose them. Inspection of the left gear door actuating rod revealed the bolt and nut run up tight against the rod end, requiring a wrench to do so.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during initial climb defining event
- Landing gear not configured during initial climb
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear actuator › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Scheduled/routine maintenance › Maintenance personnel
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear door actuator › Malfunction
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,437 hours in all; 751 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 1,372 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 10, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,974 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, June 21, 2011; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DVT Phoenix AZ at 4:24 pm
- Destination: SOW Showlow AZ
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 07L, 8,197 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.78 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from DVT
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR11LA292.