Cessna 402C incident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, December 11, 2008
On December 11, 2008 at about 6:11 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N522FA, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane manufacturer's inadequate inspection procedure resulting in undetected fatigue cracking of the main landing gear barrel of the upper barrel and trunnion assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2008 · about 6:11 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Int · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N522FA · no longer on the register · serial 402C0338
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing an undetected fatigue crack in the barrel of the left main landing gear upper barrel and trunnion assembly, which penetrated to approximately 70 percent of the wall thickness, resulted in complete fracture of the upper barrel and subsequent separation of left main gear assembly. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and came to rest on the grass. The fatigue origin was on the outer diameter surface, and propagated radially inward with little or no circumferential propagation. The fracture was located in a transition zone of the barrel where the radius did not meet the specification. Additionally, measurements of the inside and outside diameters of the barrel revealed out of tolerance dimensions. The barrel material, heat treatment, and hardness were consistent with the specifications for the part, while the surface finish was less than the specified value. An area of the barrel immediately beneath the fracture surface exhibited smooth areas with corrosion pits. Moderate corrosion was also noted at the upper edge of the side brace collar following paint removal by chemical and mechanical means. The only inspection of the barrel specified by the airplane manufacture is a visual inspection checking for corrosion, pitting, and cleanliness. No other inspection requirements are stipulated for the fracture area of the upper barrel and trunnion assembly. The last visual inspection was performed approximately 58 flight hours before the incident. The Safety Board has investigated 2 previous accidents in which the upper barrel and trunnion assembly fractured. In both previous cases, the barrel fractured above the side brace collar.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft handling/service › Maintenance/inspections › Scheduled maint checks › Related maintenance info
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Failure
Pilot (unmanned)
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 15,200 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 800 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 28, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,015 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, December 2, 2008; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,210 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Friendship Airways, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: PHK Pahokee FL at 5:51 pm
- Destination: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Runway 27L, 5,276 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from FLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| 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.