Cessna 402B incident near Opa-Locka, Florida, September 10, 2012
On September 10, 2012 at about 8:50 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N218LG, suffered minor damage in an incident during taxi (from runway) near Opa-Locka, Florida (Opa-Locka Executive 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 pilot’s turning the airplane too sharply while exiting the runway, which resulted in the failure of the right main landing gear bellcrank due to an overstress fracture.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2012 · about 8:50 pm local time
- Place
- Opa-Locka, Florida · Opa-Locka Executive Airport · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N218LG · registry record · serial 402B0218
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot had landed the airplane after conducting a personal flight. He stated that, while turning left off of the active runway after landing, the airplane "began veering to the left" and that the right main landing gear (MLG) subsequently collapsed. Examination of the right MLG revealed that it had failed. Examination of the landing gear bellcrank revealed that one of the clevis knuckles on the long bellcrank arm was fractured. The fracture surface had a rough appearance and was at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the clevis arm, consistent with an overstress fracture. No other anomalies were noted with the landing gear.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during taxi (from runway)
- Landing gear collapse during taxi (from runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main gear strut/axle/truck › Failure
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,433 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 8,843 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 3, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,216 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 6, 2012; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 8,216 hours total
- Engine 2: Cont Motor TSIO-520 SER (piston); 8,216 hours total
- Operator: Wayman Aviation Services INC
The flight
- Departed from: OPF Opa-Locka FL at 8:00 pm
- Destination: OPF Opa-Locka FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27R, 4,309 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from OPF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.