Beech C-90 accident near Tampa, Florida, October 3, 1990
On October 3, 1990 at about 3:59 am local time, a Beech C-90, registered N7128J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Tampa Int'L airport). It was a ferry 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 LACK OF LUBRICATION BY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL OF THE NOSE LANDING GEAR ACTUATOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1990 · about 3:59 am local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C-90 · all C-90s on the register
- Registration
- N7128J · registry record · serial LJ619
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT BEFORE ACCIDENT FLT, THE LANDING GEAR MALFUNCTIONED. EMERGENCY GEAR EXTENSION WAS ACCOMPLISHED BUT REQUIRED EXCESSIVE FORCE. MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL LUBRICATED THE NOSE GEAR RETRACT CHAIN & ADJUSTED THE GEAR DOWN LIGHT INDICATOR SWITCH. THE AIRPLANE WAS FLOWN WITH NO DISCREPANCIES NOTED. THE ACCIDENT FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL UNTIL AFTER LOWERING THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE, THE GEAR DID NOT FULLY EXTEND. THE EMERGENCY METHOD WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. THE MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. EXAM OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR ACTUATOR WAS SEIZED DUE TO LACK OF LUBRICATION. THE ACFT LOGBOOKS INDICATE THAT ALL GEAR ACTUATORS WERE REPLACED ON 8-23-86. THERE WERE NO FURTHER ENTRIES INDICATING THAT THEY WERE LUBRICATED. ACCORDING TO THE MAINT MANUAL, THE ACTUATORS SHOULD BE REMOVED FOR LUBRICATION EVERY 1,000 CYCLES OF OPERATION OR 30 MOS., WHICHEVER OCCURS FIRST. THE ACFT ACCUMULATED 3,154 CYCLES SINCE REPLACEMENT OF THE ACTUATORS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 13,338 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 46 in the last 90 days; 12,935 as pilot in command; 2,295 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,032 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, June 19, 1990; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,650 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OJC Olathe KS at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 6,998 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:50 am from TPA
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.