# NTSB MIA01IA144: Grumman G-73, N142PA, Fort Lauderdale, FL, May 22, 2001 - Type: NTSB incident investigation - Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report - Date: May 22, 2001, 17:46 local (21:46 UTC) - Place: Fort Lauderdale, FL - Coordinates: 26.090335, -80.149368 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.0903&lon=-80.1494&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 19 uninjured - Status: Completed, report July 30, 2001 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Fort Lauderdale FSDO - NTSB case key (mKey): 52347 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA01IA144 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/52347/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA01IA144 ## Probable cause The improper review of component records by company maintenance personnel of returned landing gear components from a laboratory for magnaflux and x-ray. This resulted in unserviceable components being tagged as serviceable, installation of unserviceable parts on an operational airplane, and subsequent failure/collapse of the right main landing gear during taxi. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, taxi - landing gear - cracked - maintenance - improper, company maintenance personnel (cause) - landing gear - failure,total - Gear collapsed, taxi ## Analysis The airplane was taxing to the ramp when the right main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the landing gear revealed evidence of preexisting cracks. Review of paper work by company maintenance personnel revealed that components had been sent to a laboratory for examination. Upon return of the components the paperwork indicated that two components had been rejected due to cracks. Company maintenance personnel stated that unserviceable components had been tagged as serviceable and installed on an operational airplane which resulted in the subsequent failure and collapse of the right main landing gear. ## Factual narrative On May 22, 2001, at about 1746 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-73, N142PA, registered to Seaplane Leasing II LLC, operated by Flying Boat Inc, doing business as Chalks International Airlines flight 512, as a 14 CFR Part 121 scheduled international passenger flight, experienced a collapse of the right main landing gear while taxiing to the parking ramp. The airline transport pilot-in-command, commercial pilot copilot, and 17 passengers reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and a VFR flight plan was filed. The airplane sustained minor damage. The flight originated from Paradise Island, Bahamas, about 51 minutes before the incident. Initial examination of the airplane by the FAA revealed the right main landing gear had separated. Two small preexisting cracks and corrosion was found in the vicinity of the failure location. The Director of Maintenance for Chalks International stated that four landing gear parts were sent to Q.C. Labs for magnaflux and x-ray. The landing gear parts were picked up and brought back to the hangar. The landing gears were prepped, primed, painted, and the landing gear was installed on the incident airplane. On May 22, 2001, N142PA right main landing gear failed while taxiing to the terminal. A review of paperwork from Q.C. Labs revealed that two landing gear parts were rejected because of cracks. A red tag was also attached to the report. " At this time I realized that I had tagged an unserviceable part serviceable by mistake." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N142PA](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N142PA-2010-03-25), registration cancelled 2010-03-25, S/N J42 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Grumman G-73 - Registry model: [Grumman G-73T](https://openairdocs.org/model/grumman-g-73t) (registry code 3951902) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [U/A Canada PT6A-34](https://openairdocs.org/engine/u-a-canada-pt6a-34) (registry code 61534, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: J42 - Airframe hours: 29548 - Engines: P&W PT6A-60A 680 horsepower turbo prop - Damage: Minor damage - Flight: Part 121 - Operator: Flying Boat Inc, doing business as Chalks International Airlines - Registered owner: Seaplane Leasing II LLC - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, May 21, 2001, 12 hours before - Departed: PID, Paradise Island - Destination: FLL, Fort Lauderdale, FL - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: FLL, Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood Int ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 27; injuries: none; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, single-engine sea, multi-engine sea; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 2,500 total, 1,300 in this make and model, 1,800 as pilot in command, 300 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 7 in the last 24 hours - Co-pilot; age 28; injuries: none; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine sea, multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; flight hours: 1,300 total, 700 in this make and model, 500 as pilot in command, 280 in the last 90 days, 100 in the last 30 days, 6 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 160° at 10 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 9,500 ft broken - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 79 °F - Altimeter: 29.88 inHg - Observed at: FLL ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Incident 20010522012019I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20010522012019I), May 22, 2001: Gulstm G73, Ft Lauderdale, FL, Minor damage. (.4) On may 22, 2001, at about 1746 eastern daylight time, a Grumman G-73, N142PA, registered to seaplane leasing ii LLC, operated by flying boat inc, doing… ## Other investigations on N142PA (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 MIA00IA186](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA00IA186), Jun 11, 2000: Grumman G-73T (N142PA), Watson Island, FL, incident, minor damage. Probable cause: the overload separations of the control yoke on the captain's side. 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. --- 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.