Piper PA-44-180 accident near Brooksville, Florida, May 20, 2001
On May 20, 2001 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N3042C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brooksville, Florida (Hernando County airport). 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 fatigue failure of the left main landing gear strut that resulted in collapse of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 2001 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Brooksville, Florida · Hernando County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3042C · no longer on the register · serial 44-7995-124
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the takeoff roll the pilot noticed the aircraft pulling to the left. He aborted takeoff, reduced power and as the pilot applied brakes the left main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the gear strut cylinder revealed fatigue cracks originating from multiple locations on opposite sides of the bolt hole located on the forward side of the cylinder. Microscopic examination of the bolt hole revealed that the surface of the bolt hole was roughly machined. The total fatigue region occupied about 35 percent of the cross section of the cylinder.
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
Pilot
- Flight time: 1,096 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 830 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 28, 2001; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming L-0-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Clearwater Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BKV Brooksville FL at 2:45 pm
- Destination: PIE St. Petersburg FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 7,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BKV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.