Cessna R182 accident near Puyallup, Washington, November 22, 2021
On November 22, 2021 at about 9:49 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna R182, registered N7592Y, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Puyallup, Washington (Pierce County - Thun Fld airport). It was an instructional 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
An overstress fracture of the left main landing gear pivot assembly, which resulted in the failure of the left main landing gear to fully extend and lock into place.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 22, 2021 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- Puyallup, Washington · Pierce County - Thun Fld · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R182, built 1977 · all R182s on the register
- Registration
- N7592Y · registry record · serial R18200141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During an instructional flight, the pilot receiving instruction performed an emergency landing gear extension; however, the left main gear did not extend despite multiple attempts, and the instructor chose to land with the gear retracted, resulting in substantial damage to the fuselage. Examination revealed that the left main landing gear pivot assembly shaft had fracture-separated near the pivot housing. Metallurgical examination of the fracture surfaces revealed signatures of overstress. The overstress fracture of the pivot assembly resulted in the failure of the left landing gear to fully extend.
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 defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,010.5 hours in all; 212 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 22.4 in the last 30 days; 3,788.2 as pilot in command; 3,093.8 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 30, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 254 hours in all; 8.3 in this make and model; 31 in the last 90 days; 7.7 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 23, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,681.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2021; 75.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 3,413 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 3,651 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,000 ft; a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from KPLU
Weather report (METAR): KPLU 222155Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM FEW043 BKN050 OVC055 08/04 A3004 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
6 documents, released by the NTSB on April 26, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Operator E-mail | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Materials Laboratory Factual Report 22-001 | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Wreckage Release | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 5 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Photo Array | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N7592Y 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.