Cessna 402B incident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 16, 2012
On February 16, 2012 at about 8:09 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N402GZ, suffered minor damage in an incident during landing (landing roll) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderale/Hollywood Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The overload fracture of the right main landing gear bellcrank and a securing bolt, which resulted in the collapse of the right main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2012 · about 8:09 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderale/Hollywood Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N402GZ · no longer on the register · serial 402B0314
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After takeoff, the pilot proceeded toward a nearby airport, but he elected to return to the departure airport because he was unable to establish two-way communications with the air traffic control facility at the destination airport. The pilot extended the landing gear normally and noted three green lights indicating the landing gear was down and locked. After a normal touchdown while applying the brakes, the right wing slowly lowered. Postincident examination of the airplane revealed that the right bellcrank assembly and the bolt that secures the assembly to the landing gear trunnion were fractured. Examination of the fractured parts revealed features consistent with overload separation and no evidence of preexisting cracks or corrosion. The reason for the overload separation was not determined.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear › Capability exceeded
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 8,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 19,500 as pilot in command; 300 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 15,580 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2011
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 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
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 7:49 pm
- Destination: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09R, 5,276 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,700 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from FLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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.