Cessna 414 N414HF accident near Jasper, Georgia

Probable cause

The failure of the owner to comply with a service bulletin, which resulted in the failure of the left main landing gear torque tube due to fatigue cracking.

NTSB analysis

After touchdown on the runway, the airplane’s left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane skidded to the left, departed the runway surface, and struck a taxiway sign. The left wing was substantially damaged. Postaccident examination revealed that the left main landing gear torque tube had fractured, which resulted in the gear collapse. Further examination of the torque tube revealed that it failed from fatigue cracks that originated in multiple locations. A service bulletin issued by the airplane’s manufacturer required replacement of the torque tube at 4,000 hours time in service to prevent fatigue failure of the torque tube; however, the airplane had accrued about 5,000 hours total time, and the tube was original to the airplane. While compliance with the service bulletin was not mandatory, replacement of torque tube would have likely prevented the accident.

Text from the NTSB. Open the NTSB docket for ERA22LA282 for the full record.