Beech 1900D incident near Tampa, Florida, August 29, 2002
On August 29, 2002 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Beech 1900D, registered N81533, was involved in an incident near Tampa, Florida (Tampa Intl airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 15 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper service of the left main landing gear socket, resulting in fatigue failure of the left main landing gear socket assembly at the lower scissor attachment point.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2002 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 15 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 1900D · all 1900Ds on the register
- Registration
- N81533 · no longer on the register · serial UE-137
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as the airplane decelerated to 40 knots during the landing rollout he felt a vibration in the airframe. As the airplane continued to slow down the airplane began to pull to the left. The flight crew stopped the airplane on the runway. During the post-flight examination of the airplane the pilot discovered that the left main landing gear had turned 90 degrees to the left. The examination also revealed a fatigue fracture in the left main landing gear socket assembly. Examination of the socket assembly fracture revealed two fatigue regions initiated from the lower corner lug base radii and along the left and right base radii with multiple origins. Both the lower lug corner radii were confirmed to show marks consistent with repair blending. According to the blend repair procedure the surface is to be blended to surface finish comparable to that produced by 250 grit sand paper. A comparison was made between the surface finish in the repair area, and the surface produce by 240 grit sand paper on the part, which is slightly coarser than the 250 grit required. The surface finish in the repair region was much rougher than that produced by 240 grit sand paper.
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
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,200 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land
- Flight time: 270 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 18,487 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, August 18, 2002; 14,894 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 19,999 lb
- Seats: 13
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A SER (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 6:45 pm
- Destination: TPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 8,300 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; a few clouds at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 13 |
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.