# NTSB MIA98LA123: Cessna 402B, N400AR, West Palm Beach, FL, April 3, 1998 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 3, 1998, 17:05 local (22:05 UTC) - Place: West Palm Beach, FL - Coordinates: 26.720582, -80.069892 (estimated) - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=26.7206&lon=-80.0699&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 9 uninjured - Status: Completed, report August 3, 2000 - Report: Approved by Office Director - NTSB case key (mKey): 38489 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=MIA98LA123 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38489/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/MIA98LA123 ## 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. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown - aircraft weight and balance - not performed, pilot in command - planned approach - inadequate, pilot in command - diverted attention, pilot in command - touchdown - improper, pilot in command - landing gear,main gear - collapsed (cause) - On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll - object - airport facility ## Analysis 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 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... and I [FAA Inspector] believe he was flustered and annoyed...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 addition, both landing gear trunnions, where the retract mechanisms attached, were broken as if 'overloaded.' ## Factual narrative On April 3, 1998, about 1705 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402B, N400AR, registered to Dove One Inc., crashed into airport equipment after the landing gear collapsed at Palm Beach International Airport, West Palm Beach, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time, and a company VFR flight plan was filed for the Title 14 CFR Part 135 on-demand air taxi flight. The commercial-rated pilot and eight passengers reported no injuries. The airplane was substantially damaged. The flight departed Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, at 1520. According to the passengers, they were scheduled to leave Marsh Harbor at 1500, but the airplane was about 30 or 40 minutes late. A passenger said, 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." Following takeoff from Marsh Harbor, the flight climbed to an altitude of 6,700 feet. The pilot attempted to make radio contact with an unknown station while over Freeport, Bahamas, but was unsuccessful. The passenger said that he "seemed agitated." In addition, 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. The pilot attempted to make radio contact with someone again, and asked the passengers to help him locate another microphone, "...to help him make contact with ATC." One of the passengers stated, the flight continued at 3,000 feet until the pilot saw a ship in the ocean and, "...he dropped to around 1,000 feet over the ship, he was still working with his radio." The passenger said that the pilot offered, "no expatiation of why this was going on." Another passenger explained that the pilot had no radio contact. The flight continued onto the coast, and once the coast was in sight the pilot changed course. The passengers stated that, "later we learned that he said he had communication with West Palm Beach Airport." 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 arrived at Palm Beach about 1630 and, "...made [a] normal approach to runway 27 left. All systems 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 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... and I [FAA Inspector] believe he was flustered and annoyed...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 addition, both landing gear trunnions, where the retract mechanisms were attached, were broken as if "overloaded." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N400AR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N400AR-2006-12-08), registration cancelled 2006-12-08, S/N 402B-0338, built 1972 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Cessna 402B - Registry model: [Cessna 402B](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-402b) (registry code 207590P) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Continental TSIO-520 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-520-series) (registry code 17040, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 402B-0338 - Engines: Continental TSIO-520E 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Part 135 - Registered owner: Dove One Inc. - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: 100 hour, March 27, 1998, 17 hours before - Departed: MYNN, MARSH ISLAND, OF - Destination: PBI - Flight plan: VFR - Airport: PBI, Palm Beach International, runway 27L, 3,210 × 75 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 6,120 total, 350 in this make and model, 5,700 as pilot in command, 54 in the last 90 days, 20 in the last 30 days, 4 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 170° at 7 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 82 °F, dew point 68 °F - Altimeter: 29.00 inHg - Observed at: PBI ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 19980403005509A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980403005509A), Apr 3, 1998: Cessna 402B, West Palm Beach, FL, Substantial damage. 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… 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.