Beech A-90 accident near Ft Lauderdale, Florida, October 12, 1987
On October 12, 1987 at about 4:11 am local time, a Beech A-90, registered N601TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft Lauderdale, Florida (Ft Lauderdale Hollywood airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt. 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 accident. 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
- October 12, 1987 · about 4:11 am local time
- Place
- Ft Lauderdale, Florida · Ft Lauderdale Hollywood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 6 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A-90
- Registration
- N601TA · registry record · serial LJ120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER THE PLT PLACED THE MASTER SWITCH ON TO START THE ENGINES THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED. HE STATED THAT THE PASSENGER, IN THE CO-PLT SEAT, BUMPED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE INTO THE UP POSITION. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT HE DID NOT. INSP OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS IN THE DOWN POSITION & THAT THE RT GEAR SAFETY SWITCH FAILED INTERNALLY. FAILURE OF THE SWITCH WILL NOT CAUSE THE GEAR TO COLLAPSE UNLESS THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE IS PLACED IN THE UP POSITION. THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE IS DESIGNED SO THAT IT MUST BE PULLED OUT THEN PUSHED UP TO RETRACT THE LANDING GEAR. NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS TO WHO PLACED THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE UP PRIOR TO TURNING ON THE MASTER SWITCH.
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: 14,402 hours in all; 1,308 in this make and model; 130 in the last 90 days; 11,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,675 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 11, 1987; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,800 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: CHA Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 050° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 am from FLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 5 |
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.