Beech 58 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, January 12, 1992
On January 12, 1992 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Beech 58, registered N4188S, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR WHICH CAUSED INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR RETRACT MOTOR AND GEARBOX ASSY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 12, 1992 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 58 · all 58s on the register
- Registration
- N4188S · registry record · serial TH-620
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ARRIVING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF THE DESTINATION ARPT, THE PLT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE BUT THE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. THE FLT DEPARTED THE PATTERN & ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR VIA THE EMERGENCY METHOD WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FLT DIVERTED TO A LARGER ARPT WHERE A GEAR UP LANDING OCCURRED. THE LANDING GEAR RETRACT MOTOR & GEARBOX ASSY WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT & DISASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE WORM SECTOR GEAR REPEATEDLY CONTACTED THE SECTOR GEAR STOP. ALSO, TWO HALF RINGS WHICH SECURE THE BEARING TO THE WORM ACTUATING SHAFT SHEARED. THIS ALLOWED THE WORM GEAR ACTUATOR TO TRAVEL TOWARD THE MOTOR. AS A RESULT, THE HAND CRANK ENGAGING SHAFT WOULD NOT CONTACT THE WORM GEAR ACTUATOR. ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC, THIS WAS DUE TO A WORN LANDING GEAR MOTOR WHICH WOULD DRIVE THE GEAR BUT WOULD RENDER THE DYNAMIC BRAKING ACTION INOPERATIVE. THE UP-LIMIT SWITCH WAS TESTED & FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 2,000 in this make and model; 167 in the last 90 days; 53 in the last 30 days; 4,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,192 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 2, 1991; 150 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Beco Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MYAM Marsh Harbour OF at 7:25 pm
- Destination: FPR Fort Pierce FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 6,930 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:15 pm from PBI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.