Cessna 402B accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 15, 2008
On March 15, 2008 at about 6:31 pm local time, a Cessna 402B, registered N300SH, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper adjustment of the right main landing gear down lock by maintenance personnel resulting in the gear collapse during the landing roll..
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 15, 2008 · about 6:31 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402B · all 402Bs on the register
- Registration
- N300SH · no longer on the register · serial 0858
- Damage
- Substantial 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 approach, he observed only two down and locked indications for the nose and left main landing gear. The pilot's attempts to get the right main landing gear down and locked indication were unsuccessful, and a visual inspection of the landing gear by an air traffic controller revealed that the landing gear appeared to be down and locked. During the landing, the right main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear down lock micro switch was loose and not fully closed. Review of the operator's records and interviews of the operator's maintenance personnel revealed that several days prior to the accident, they made an improper adjustment to the right "side brace lock link," which was beyond the manufacturer's specifications, and prevented the right main gear to lock in the down position. In addition, after the adjustment, the maintenance personnel did not perform functional checks as required by the manufacturer's instructions.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Not specified
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › (general) › Maintenance personnel
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,685 hours in all; 803 in this make and model; 2,593 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,454.3 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 1, 2008; 4.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO-520-E08 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO-520-E19 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bimini Island Air INC
The flight
- Departed from: MYGF Freeport at 6:00 pm
- Destination: KFXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 26, 6,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 6:34 pm from KFXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N300SH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.