Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, February 18, 1989
On February 18, 1989 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N4303X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale Int'L airport). It was a business 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
FAULTY INSTALLATION OF AVIONICS EQUIPMENT WHICH CAUSED WIRING IN THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM TO BE IMPROPERLY REINSTALLED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 18, 1989 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Ft. Lauderdale Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4303X · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7680008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT AS THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. HE PERFORMED AN ABORTED LANDING. THE TOWER REPORTED THAT THE GEAR APPEARED DOWN. UPON TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID OFF THE RUNWAY. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED A LOOSE LANDING GEAR WIRING BLOCK. WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS RETARDED THE LANDING GEAR CIRCUIT BREAKER WOULD POP, SHUTTING OFF THE HYDRAULIC PUMP, THE GEAR POSITION LIGHTS, AND THE WARNING HORN. WHEN WEIGHT WAS PUT ON THE GEAR THE ABSENCE OF HYDRAULIC PRESSURE PERMITTED THE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THIS WAS THE FIRST FLIGHT AFTER A NON-RECORDED LORAN INSTALLATION WAS PERFORMED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,185 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,331 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 29, 1988; 143 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL
- Destination: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,928 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:30 pm from FLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N4303X 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.