Cessna 182 accident near Burns, Oregon, October 27, 2018
On October 27, 2018 at about 2:50 pm local time, a 1964 Cessna 182, registered N3267S, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Burns, Oregon. 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 failure of the left main landing gear due to fatigue cracking of a bolt that initiated at a corrosion pit, which formed in the absence of a required protective cadmium coating.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 27, 2018 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Burns, Oregon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 G, built 1964 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N3267S · no longer on the register · serial 18255767
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon approaching the intended landing area, the pilot performed a high reconnaissance to assess the wind conditions. The airplane touched down and, during the landing roll, the left wing dipped downward. The left wing made contact with the ground before coming to rest with the left main landing gear sheared off. The attachment bolt that connected the left main landing gear leg bracket exhibited a fatigue crack that had progressed through about one third of the bolt cross-section. This fatigue crack initiated at multiple fatigue crack initiation sites along the thread root. This thread root exhibited corrosion pitting that had penetrated the outer cadmium plating, which had led to fatigue cracking. When the remainder of the bolt could no longer support the stress at landing, the remaining cross section fractured in overstress. As this crack had propagated through about one third of the cross section without a discernible transition or mixed fracture zone between the fatigue crack and subsequent stress, the final fracture occurred at a high load event, such as the accident landing. The bolts had been plated with cadmium, a corrosion inhibitor. However, corrosion pitting was observed along the threads, which led to fatigue cracking in both bolts. Although the cadmium plating can provide protection to the underlying alloy steel, corrosion such as in the form of pitting can still occur. This may be due to the operational environment, including locations near saltwater, as well as from a crevice corrosion mechanism. With the fatigued bolt having fractured, the bracket would be able to flex or slide out the side. With these components able to flex, the bottom of the support housing could not support the downward forces from the gear spring, which led to its fracture. This would allow a cantilever force on the inboard support, which would have been enough force to fracture the attachment bolt on that support and the upper support frame. Although a hard landing would have caused this bolt to fracture, the fatigue crack diminished the amount of stress it could withstand.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Fuselage › Gear attach fittings (on fus) › Fatigue/wear/corrosion
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 447 hours in all; 191 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 447 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 30, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,651 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 7, 2018; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-520-UTS (piston); 2,021 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EUL Caldwell ID at 1:45 pm
- Destination: Burns OR
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 2:52 pm from KREO, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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.