Beech 200 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, December 14, 2002
On December 14, 2002 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Beech 200, registered N623VP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville International airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
Failure of the main landing gear locking mechanism for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the main landing gear collapsing, and damage to the airplane during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 14, 2002 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 200 · all 200s on the register
- Registration
- N623VP · no longer on the register · serial 769
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that during initial climb, as the landing gear lever was activated to retract the landing gear, the gear failed to retract fully. He further stated that they performed the emergency checklist, trying to correct the problem, but did not have any success. While making an emergency landing, as the airplane rolled out and slowed, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear. The nose gear remained extended. FAA inspectors responded to the accident, and found that there was extensive damage to the main landing gear system. The damage to the system included both main landing gear shafts having been bent, the left main landing gear actuator having dislodged from its mount at the spar web, the right main landing gear actuator mounting bracket having torn from the spar web, and the mounting flange for the main landing gear actuator mounting bracket having torn at its attaching points. In addition, examination by an FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed that the actuator nut assemblies were bent, but according to the mechanic, it could not be determined if the nut assemblies had been damaged before the accident. The mechanic also found that the airplane's maintenance logbooks showed no record of Raytheon Mandatory Service Bulletin 32-3433 having been completed. The landing gear actuators were removed and shipped to Kelley Aerospace, Wichita, Kansas for a detailed examination, and the examination did not reveal any anomalies.
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: 11,648 hours in all; 1,974 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,287 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 1, 2001; 215 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6-41 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 8:45 pm
- Destination: CRG Jacksonville FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 310, 7,000 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 11:28 pm from JAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.