Cessna 340A accident near Fullerton, California, June 1, 2011
On June 1, 2011 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N340BG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fullerton, California (Fullerton 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
The pilot's inability to maintain directional control during landing due to the left brake's degraded performance due to oil contamination, which resulted from the fatigue failure of an oil line component.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 2011 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fullerton, California · Fullerton Municipal · 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
- N340BG · registry record · serial 340A-0068
- 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, at the conclusion of a flight, he made a normal landing and commenced a turn off the runway. While negotiating the turn toward a taxiway, the left brake ceased to properly function, and the airplane rolled into the soft dirt terrain adjacent to the taxiway. The subsequent examination of the airplane revealed that a weld had fractured in fatigue in the left engine's oil return line, which was located near the left main landing gear wheel assembly. The wheel and brake assembly were covered in oil. The oil significantly inhibited the brake's functionality and effectively reduced the braking capability to zero, which resulted in the pilot's loss of directional control.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Brake › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Braking capability › Malfunction
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Eng oil sys (airframe furnish) › (general) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,298 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 1,250 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: February 24, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,406 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2011; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,290 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-520NB (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Humanitarian Airlift International
The flight
- Departed from: RIR Riverside CA at 10:45 pm
- Destination: FUL Fullerton CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,121 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from FUL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.