Cessna 172RG accident near Miami, Florida, August 21, 1999
On August 21, 1999 at about 2:59 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6231V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Kendall-Tamiami Executive airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The delay by the pilot-in-command to extend the gear resulting in collapse of the main landing gear after touchdown. Factors in the accident were the inoperative gear warning system associated with the throttle due to the broken wire at the throttle microswitch, and the overstress failure of the rudder trim chain master link clip which resulted in disconnection of the rudder trim while trimmed full left.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 1999 · about 2:59 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Kendall-Tamiami Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6231V · no longer on the register · serial 172RG0594
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that after takeoff while climbing through 500 feet, the airplane abruptly and uncommanded, yawed to the left. He attempted to correct with rudder trim but the trim wheel turned freely. The flight remained in the traffic pattern and while on short final approach, the controller advised the pilot to go-around as the landing gear was not extended. The pilot lowered the landing gear but landed before the main landing gear locked in place. He stated that he heard the gear warning horn while on short final approach with the flaps extended. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that a wire at the micro-switch for the throttle gear warning was broken; the wire was reconnected and the warning horn operated normally. The rudder trim actuator and trim wheel were fully displaced to the left, and the master link for the rudder trim chain was noted to be bent and the master link lock clip was fractured. Metallurgical examination of the lock clip revealed it failed due to overstress failure. Post accident retraction and extension tests of the landing gear revealed no evidence of preimpact failure or malfunction.
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: 497 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,950 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 25, 1999; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,658 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Golden Express Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TMB at 2:54 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 4,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:53 pm from TMB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.