Cessna 402A accident near Miami, Florida, March 13, 1989
On March 13, 1989 at about 5:40 pm local time, a Cessna 402A, registered N2882F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Tamiami airport). It was a personal 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 OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE BELLCRANK FOR THE LEFT MAIN GEAR RETRACTION LINKAGE ASSEMBLY FOR AN UNKNOWN REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 13, 1989 · about 5:40 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Tamiami · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402A · all 402As on the register
- Registration
- N2882F · no longer on the register · serial 402A0019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG THE LANDING ROLL, ABOUT 4000 FT DOWN THE 5002 FT RWY, THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT VEERED OFF THE RWY. AN EXAM REVEALED THE BELLCRANK FOR THE LEFT MAIN GEAR RETRACTION LINKAGE ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED FROM OVERLOAD, WHICH ALLOWED THE GEAR TO COLLAPSE. THE REASON FOR OVERLOAD WAS NOT DETERMINED. THE PLT'S LAST MED CERT WAS DATED 6/6/83.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,122 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 28, 1989; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27R, 5,002 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from TMB
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.
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.