NTSB CHI88LA196 — 1988-08-07 · SPRINGFIELD, Illinois, United States

Current FAA registration · N222L

Make / Model: CESSNA 320E
Engine: CONT MOTOR IO 520 SERIES (285 hp)
Seats / Engines: 6 seats · 2 engines
Last airworthiness date: 19860629
ADS-B equipped: Yes — Mode-S A1E969

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

N222L Cessna 320E None

Factual narrative

DRG A NIGHT ARRIVAL, THE PLT FAILED TO GET A DOWN & LOCKED INDCN FOR THE NOSE GEAR. HE MADE SVRL LOW PASSES OVER THE RWY FOR OBSERVATION. TOWER & FIRE/RESCUE PERSONNEL RPRTD THE NOSE GEAR APPEARED TO BE EXTENDED, SO THE PLT MADE A NORMAL LANDING. AS THE NOSE WHEEL CONTACTED THE RWY, IT COLLAPSED. DRG A POST-ACDNT EXAM, A MECHANIC NOTED THAT THE TORQUE TUBE SUPPORT ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED. HE RPRTD THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS OUT OF RIG. ALSO, HE RPRTD THAT IN HIS OPINION, A 'PREVIOUS REPAIR WAS NOT OF A QUALITY THAT WOULD PROVIDE THE STRENGTH OF THE ORIGINAL FACTORY DESIGN' & WOULD NOT HOLD THE SUPPORT RIGID DURING LANDING GEAR CYCLING. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1988_CHI88LA196.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.

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