Beech D18S incident near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, July 17, 1986
On July 17, 1986 at about 11:49 am local time, a Beech D18S, registered N76Q, suffered minor damage in an incident near Ft. Lauderdale, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood airport). It was a positioning 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1986 · about 11:49 am local time
- Place
- Ft. Lauderdale, Florida · Ft. Lauderdale Hollywood · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D18S · all D18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N76Q · registry record · serial AF39
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLIGHT EXPERIENCED COLLAPSE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DURING LANDING ROLL WHEN THE BOLT WHICH ATTACHES THE UPPER END OF THE DRAG LEG FAILED IN FATIGUE. COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL DID NOT REMOVE THIS BOLT REGULARLY FOR INSPECTION. BEECH AIRCRAFT SERVICE INSTRUCTION 1183 CALLS FOR INSPECTING THIS BOLT ON AIRCRAFT EQUIPPED WITH CERTAIN PART NUMBER DRAG LEGS, HOWEVER THIS AIRCRAFT WAS NOT AFFECTED BY THE INSTRUCTION DUE TO THE DRAG LEG INSTALLED.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,295 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,125 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 1986; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-AN1-14B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNA Lantana FL at 11:40 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9L, 8,018 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:49 am from FLL
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.
Other NTSB records under N76Q 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.