# Accident 19980403005509A: Cessna 402B, West Palm Beach, FL, April 3, 1998 - Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported - Date: April 3, 1998, 17:05 local time - Place: West Palm Beach, FL - Airport: Palm Beach International - Damage: Substantial damage - Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown - Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135) - Operator: DOVA - Location: 26.7206° N, 80.0699° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7206&lon=-80.0699&mi=10 - Aircraft: N400AR, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N400AR-2006-12-08) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry model: Cessna 402B (registry code 207590P, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402b) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: Continental TSIO-520 series (registry code 17040, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: CESSNA 402B - Reported engine: CONT TSIO520E - People aboard: 9 - Fatal injuries: 0 - Pilot flight hours: 6,120 total, 350 in this make and model, 54 in the last 90 days - NTSB investigation: [NTSB MIA98LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA123) (OpenAirDocs) - FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/) - Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980403005509A ## Narrative As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^. CRASHED INTO RVR LIGHTS WHEN RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED DUE HARD. CRABBED LANDING. HAD MADE ABRUPT TURN FOR ALIGNMEN (.4)ACCORDING TO THE PASSENGERS, THEY DEPARTED ABOUT 30 OR 40 MINUTES LATE BECAUSE OF THE LATE ARRIVAL OF THE AIRPLANE. WHEN THE PILOT ARRIVED, HE 'SEEMED TO...BE IN A HURRY...THERE WAS NO SAFETY INSTRUCTIONS OR ANY ATTEMPT TO SHOW US OR THE KIDS THE OPERATION OF THE DOOR.' AFTER TAKEOFF, THE FLIGHT CLIMBED TO AN ALTITUDE OF 6,700 FEET. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH AN UNKNOWN STATION, WAS UNSUCCESSFUL IN MAKING RADIO CONTACT, AND ACCORDING TO A PASSENGER, 'SEEMED AGITATED.' THE PASSENGERS NOTICED THAT THE LEFT ALTERNATOR LIGHT WAS ILLUMINATED, AND QUESTIONED THE PILOT. THE PILOT TOLD THE PASSENGERS, '...IT'S NOTHING IT ALWAYS COMES ON.' ABOUT 15 MINUTES AFTER DEPARTURE, THE FLIGHT DESCENDED TO 3,000 FEET AND THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO MAKE RADIO CONTACT WITH SOMEONE AGAIN. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED AT 3,000 FEET UNTIL THE PILOT SAW A SHIP IN THE OCEAN. HE DESCENDED TO AROUND 1,000 FEET OVER THE SHIP, AND WAS STILL WORKING WITH THE RADIO. THE FLIGHT CONTINUED ONTO THE COAST. THE PASSENGERS TOLD EMS PERSONNEL THAT THE AIRPLANE MADE AN 'ABRUPT' LEFT TURN TO LINE UP WITH THE RUNWAY, AND WHEN THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN, THEY FELT THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE AIRCRAFT COLLAPSE. AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON RUNWAY 27L, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, THEN THE LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SLID OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND STRUCK RVR (RUNWAY VISUAL RANGE) EQUIPMENT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S STATEMENT HE, '...MADE [A] NORMAL APPROACH TO RUNWAY 27 LEFT. ALL SYSTEM INDICATED NORMAL. UPON TOUCHDOWN AND ROLL OUT ALL WAS OK FOR 3-4 HUNDRED FEET-[RIGHT] GEAR COLLAPSED...UNABLE TO HOLD AIRCRAFT ON RUNWAY..NOSE HIT RVR ANTENNA SWINGING AIRCRAFT MORE RIGHT TO CATCH RIGHT WING AND REMOVE TIP TANK. LEFT GEAR COLLAPSED AS AIRCRAFT AS AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST.' ACCORDING TO THE FAA INSPECTOR'S STATEMENT, IT WAS HIS OPINION, ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT THE AIRCRAFT WAS 'OVER GROSS WEIGHT ON DEPARTURE FROM MARSH HARBOR...THE PILOT WAS EXPERIENCING RADIO PROBLEMS..^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ ...IN THE PATTERN HE MADE AN ABRUPT LEFT TURN TO LINEUP WITH [RUNWAY 27], AND WHEN HE TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY THE RIGHT GEAR IMMEDIATELY COLLAPSED DUE TO [SIDE] OVERLOAD.' IN ADDI TION, BOTH LANDING GEAR TRUNNIONS, WHERE THE RETRACT MECHANISMS ATTACHED, WERE BROKEN AS IF 'OVERLOADED'. (-23)MIA98LA123 ## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1) From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. - [NTSB MIA98LA123](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA123), Apr 3, 1998: Cessna 402B (N400AR), West Palm Beach, FL, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot allowed the airplane to improperly touchdown on the right main landing gear, resulting in the gear collapsing, and subsequent impact with runway visual range equipment. ## Other reports on N400AR (2) Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date. - [Incident 20060221009169I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20060221009169I), Feb 21, 2006: Cessna 402B (N400AR), West Palm Beach, FL, Minor damage. (-23) On February 23rd, 2006 the pilot [privacy data omitted] was operating Cessna 402B, registration number N400AR from stuart, FL (sua) to West Palm Beach,… - [Incident 19860619043579I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860619043579I), Jun 19, 1986: Cessna 402B (N400AR), Huntington Beac, CA. Emergency exit door separated aircraft at cruise. Cause of separation undetermined. From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.