Cessna 340A accident near Bunnell, Florida, July 4, 2002
On July 4, 2002 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N15FH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bunnell, Florida (Flagler County 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An improper maintenance inspection of the landing gear system by other maintenance personnel that resulted in a worn/loose over center spring for the right main landing gear being kept in service which caused the right main landing gear not to go over center and lock, which resulted in the right main landing gear collapsing and damage to the airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2002 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bunnell, Florida · Flagler County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N15FH · registry record · serial 340-00722
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the airplane had just received an annual inspection, and it was being flight tested. He said he had flown it for about 10 minutes, and upon returning to the airport for landing, he noted a "down and locked" indication for the nose gear and the left main landing gear, but there was no "down and locked" indication for the right main landing gear. He said he cycled the landing gear, did a "fly by" of the airport and queried personnel on the ground to verify the landing gear's condition, and departed the airport traffic pattern to perform the appropriate emergency checklist, but he said the stated landing gear indications persisted, and upon landing the right main gear collapsed, and the airplane exited the runway incurring damage. An FAA Inspector who conducted a postaccident examination of the airplane said that the right main landing gear extension tube had broken due to a weak/stretched over center spring.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 20,000 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 190 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 19,500 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 2, 2002; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,025 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X47 Bunnell FL at 5:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,300 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 1:53 pm from DAB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA02LA128.