Cessna 421C accident near Tampa, Florida, April 25, 2002
On April 25, 2002 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N237SM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Vandenberg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the fracture of the landing gear upper barrel due to fatigue cracking, caused by improper machining after the barrel was assembled during the manufacturing process, resulting in damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2002 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Vandenberg · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N237SM · registry record · serial 421C-0237
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot's statement, after a landing and upon touchdown, he said he "…observed an abnormal touchdown...and knew there was a mechanical problem." He aborted the landing, cycled the gear twice, and noted the gear unsafe light had remained illuminated. He then returned to the departure airport, for further assessment of the landing gear situation by the tower personnel. The tower personal confirmed there was damage to the left main gear, He then proceeded to burn off about 1 1/2 hours of fuel before attempting a landing. The pilot landed on the grass next to the paved runway, touching down on the nose and right main landing gears. Examination of the landing gear revealed that the upper barrel (p/n 5141002-11) fractured as result of fatigue cracking, above a brazed-on collar, as a result of improper machining after the barrel was assembled during the manufacturing process.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 2,390 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 18, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,670.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 29, 2001; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VDF Tampa FL at 6:45 pm
- Destination: PCM Plant City FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 9:41 pm from VDF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.