CHI07CA028
2006-11-26 · Moline, Illinois, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed
Airport MLI
Current FAA registration · N471BW
- Make / Model
- CESSNA 421C
- Seats / Engines
- 8 seats · 2 engines
- Last airworthiness date
- 19790313
- ADS-B equipped
- Yes — Mode-S A5C4FF
Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).
Aircraft involved
Probable cause & findings
The incorrect installation of the torque link scissor assembly by maintenance personnel, which resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear during landing.
Factual narrative
The right main landing gear collapsed during landing flare/touchdown. The pilot reported that the airplane initially touched down on the left main landing gear first, followed by the nose and right main landing gears. The pilot stated that when the right main landing gear touched it "didn't feel right or usual." The pilot reported that he advanced engine power and the airplane became airborne for about 50 feet. The pilot stated that the aircraft "bounced onto runway" and the right propeller impacted the runway. The pilot reported that the airplane became airborne again and then "landed hard" for the final time. Inspection of the right main landing gear showed that the upper and lower torque links had separated at the common pivot-point, which allowed the lower strut to rotate within the upper strut. The two torque links are connected by a bolt, nut, bushing, and several washers. The washer that prevents the bolt head and pressed bushing from pulling through the common pivot-point was not installed. The as installed stack-up remained together and was attached to the upper torque link. The pressed bushing from the lower torque link was found with the as installed stack-up. The torque links for the left main landing gear were found correctly assembled. The right main landing gear collapsed during landing flare/touchdown. The pilot reported that the airplane initially touched down on the left main landing gear, followed by the nose and right main landing gears. The pilot stated that when the right main landing gear touched it "didn't feel right or usual." The pilot reported that he advanced engine power, and the airplane became airborne for about 50 feet. The pilot stated that the airplane "bounced onto runway" and the right propeller impacted the runway. The airplane became airborne again, and then "landed hard" for the final time. Inspection of the right main landing gear showed that the upper and lower torque links had separated at the common pivot-point, which allowed the lower strut to rotate within the upper strut. The two torque links are connected by a bolt, nut, bushing, and several washers. The washer that prevents the bolt head and pressed bushing from pulling through the common pivot-point was not installed. The as-installed stack-up remained together, and was attached to the upper torque link. The pressed bushing from the lower torque link was found with the as-installed stack-up. The torque links for the left main landing gear were found correctly assembled. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12
Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file
NTSB_2006_CHI07CA028.txt.
Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb.
Full investigation docket on
data.ntsb.gov ↗.
Search this event elsewhere
External sources are reported, not agency: signal that something happened, not fact about what happened.
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Related research
Matched on aircraft type or causal vocabulary (stall, maintenance). All research papers
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- Embry-Riddle Scholarly Commons 2026 · Journal article (IJAAA) From Reactive to Predictive: A hybrid Trust-Mediated Adoption Framework for Data-Driven Maintenance in Distributed-Authority Aviation Environments
Modern aviation maintenance operates within increasingly data-intensive technological environments, yet the operational integration of predictive maintenance into routine decision-making remains incon…
- NASA NTRS 2026 · Conference Paper Computational Analysis of Steady State Aerodynamics of Transonic Truss-Braced Wing Configuration in Deep Stall
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- Semantic Scholar 2026 · Article (Reliability Engineering & System Safety) Understanding human error in military aviation maintenance: The role of Performance shaping factors, cognitive workload and error orientation
- Semantic Scholar 2025 · Article (Applied Sciences) Decision-Making Framework for Aviation Safety in Predictive Maintenance Strategies
The implementation of predictive maintenance (PM) in aviation presents unique challenges due to strict safety requirements, complex operational environments, and regulatory constraints.
- Semantic Scholar 2024 · Article (Defence Science Journal) Modelling of Human Factors in Aviation Maintenance Using HFACS ME Human Factors Analysis and Classification System Maintenance Extension and Bayesian Network
Aircraft maintenance is a complex task involving a skilled human workforce, spare parts, and various other resources. Human factors are an inherent element of the human workforce.