Cessna 402C incident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 3, 2001
On March 3, 2001 at about 7:52 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N108GP, suffered minor damage in an incident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Incomplete compliance with a non-mandatory Cessna Service Information Letter by an unknown person resulting in pulling through of the attach bolt of the upper and lower link assemblies and subsequent rotation of the right wheel assembly. Additionally, improper overhaul of the right main landing gear actuator by an unknown person resulting in collapse of the right main landing gear. Findings in the investigation were: 1) Inadequate compliance with a Cessna Service Bulletin (SB) by company maintenance personnel for failure to replace the actuator as addressed in the SB due to a discrepancy with the actuator noted during the post incident testing, and 2) Failure of the FAA to include inspection of the main landing gear torque links in the FAA approved inspection program as described in the Cessna Progressive Care Program.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 3, 2001 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N108GP · registry record · serial 402C0058
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the approach to runway 27L with the wind from the southwest at 15 knots and no gusts, he confirmed that all gears were down and locked as evidenced by the down and locked lights. He reported landing first on the left main landing gear followed by the right main then nose gear. During the landing roll while almost stopped, "I felt like a blown tire, right wheel zig zag and suddenly I could not control turn to the right and landing gear collapse." The airplane came to rest upright; scrubbing was noted on the lower inboard portion of the right main landing gear tire and the right main landing gear wheel assembly was rotated nearly 90 degrees. Additionally, the upper and lower link assemblies of the right main landing gear were separated from each other; the attach hardware for them remained in the upper link assembly. Post incident examination of the airplane revealed that the bolt that secures the upper and lower link assemblies pulled through the lower link assembly on the nut end. Two washers on the nut end with a thickness of approximately .023 inch were damaged during the pull-through. A washer with a thickness of approximately .061 was installed under the bolt head. A non-mandatory Cessna Service Information Letter indicates to install .066 inch thick washers on the head and nut end of the bolt that secures the upper and lower link assemblies. There was no record in the maintenance records that the non-mandatory service information letter was complied with. Post incident testing of the right main landing gear actuator revealed that the unlocking pressure was too high and one of the four lock keys was improperly installed. Testing of the right main landing gear actuator for unlock pressure was performed by the operator approximately 2 months before the incident in accordance with a service bulletin (SB). The SB states to replace the actuator if the unlocking pressure is not in specification; the actuator was not replaced. There was no serviceable tag in the maintenance records and no determination was made indicating when or what facility overhauled the actuator. The FAA approved inspection program for the operator does not list to inspect the main landing gear link assemblies as does the Cessna Progressive Care Program.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 21,000 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 91 in the last 30 days; 19,000 as pilot in command; 3,500 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 1, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 22,092 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 20, 2001; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,250 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Safe Air International, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: MYAT Marsh Harbor at 6:52 pm
- Destination: KFLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 27L, 5,276 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 16 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KFLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.