# NTSB MIA85IA217: Cessna 402B, N1554G, West Palm Beach, FL, July 24, 1985

- Type: NTSB incident investigation
- Classification: Incident · No injuries · Incident investigation · Final report
- Date: July 24, 1985, 19:14 local (23:14 UTC)
- Place: West Palm Beach, FL
- Coordinates: 26.659305, -80.08934 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.6593&lon=-80.0893&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 31296
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA85IA217
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/31296/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA85IA217

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, approach
  - landing gear,gear indicating system - failure,partial (contributing factor)
- Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,main gear - overload (cause)
  - design stress limits of aircraft - exceeded, pilot in command (cause)
- Main gear collapsed, landing - roll

## Analysis

AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED UNSAFE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INDICATION SEVERAL DAYS PRIOR TO THE INCIDENT. MECHANICS FOUND A DAMAGED MICRO SWITCH MOUNTING PLATE WHICH THEY REPAIRED ENOUGH TO HOLD UNTIL A NEW PLATE COULD BE ORDERED AND INSTALLED. ON DAY OF INCIDENT PILOT RECEIVED UNSAFE RIGHT MAIN GEAR INDICATION AND UPON LANDING PLACED A SIDE LOAD ON THE GEAR TO CHECK IT FOR SECURITY. AT THIS TIME A LOUD BANG WAS HEARD FROM THE AREA OF THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR AND THE GEAR BEGAN TO COLLAPSE. A BALKED LANDING WAS PERFORMED AND ON THE SECOND ATTEMPT TO LAND THE RIGHT GEAR AGAIN BEGAN TO COLLAPSE. THE PILOT FLEW THE AIRCRAFT BACK TO HIS DEPARTURE POINT AND ON LANDING THE RIGHT GEAR COLLAPSED. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THE RIGHT GEAR OVER CENTER BRACE HAD FAILED ALONG WITH ITS MOUNTING BOL.T METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION OF THE FAILED COMPONENTS REVEALED THEY FAILED DUE TO OVERSTRESS WITH NO INDICATIONS OF PREVIOUS CRACKS OR PRESENCE OF CORROSION.

## Aircraft

- Registration: N1554G (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 402B
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 402B1074
- Airframe hours: 1479
- Engines: CONTINENTAL TS10520E 300 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Chandelle Aviation Corp.
- Registered owner: George Rothman Aviation Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, June 9, 1985, 99 hours before
- Destination: APF, NAPLES, FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: PBI, Palm Beach Internation, runway 13, 6,930 × 19 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; commercial; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 1,940 total, 525 in this make and model, 1,940 as pilot in command, 107 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 10° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 25,000 ft overcast
- Temperature: 81 °F, dew point 70 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: PBI, 1 nm away

## 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 19850724076529I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19850724076529I), Jul 24, 1985: Cessna 402B, West Palm Beach, FL, Minor damage. No gear down light. Put side load on gear during touchdown, which sheared over center brace. Right gear collapsed.

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.

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