Palm Beach International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Palm Beach, Florida 33406
Sunday, January 12, 1992 16:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER ARRIVING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN OF THE DESTINATION ARPT, THE PLT LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR SELECTOR HANDLE BUT THE GEAR DID NOT EXTEND. THE FLT DEPARTED THE PATTERN & ATTEMPTS TO LOWER THE GEAR VIA THE EMERGENCY METHOD WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. THE FLT DIVERTED TO A LARGER ARPT WHERE A GEAR UP LANDING OCCURRED. THE LANDING GEAR RETRACT MOTOR & GEARBOX ASSY WAS REMOVED FROM THE ACFT & DISASSEMBLY REVEALED THAT THE WORM SECTOR GEAR REPEATEDLY CONTACTED THE SECTOR GEAR STOP. ALSO, TWO HALF RINGS WHICH SECURE THE BEARING TO THE WORM ACTUATING SHAFT SHEARED. THIS ALLOWED THE WORM GEAR ACTUATOR TO TRAVEL TOWARD THE MOTOR. AS A RESULT, THE HAND CRANK ENGAGING SHAFT WOULD NOT CONTACT THE WORM GEAR ACTUATOR. ACCORDING TO A MECHANIC, THIS WAS DUE TO A WORN LANDING GEAR MOTOR WHICH WOULD DRIVE THE GEAR BUT WOULD RENDER THE DYNAMIC BRAKING ACTION INOPERATIVE. THE UP-LIMIT SWITCH WAS TESTED & FOUND TO OPERATE NORMALLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR MOTOR WHICH CAUSED INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE LANDING GEAR RETRACT MOTOR AND GEARBOX ASSY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/12/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1615
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City WEST PALM BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33406
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALM BEACH INTERNATIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PBI
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 19
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1615 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 23
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 5
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 234
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46252
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:42PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4188S
NTSB Number MIA92LA063
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model 58
Aircraft Series Identifier 58
Aircraft Serial Number TH-620
Certified Max Gross Weight 5400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 6
Number of Engines 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Dec 2 1991 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 150
Airframe Hours 5192
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BECO AVIATION, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 9404
Aircraft Owner City GREENSBORO
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27429
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BECO AVIATION, INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 300 W. MEADOWBROOK TERRACE
Operator City GREENSBORO
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27408
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code MYAM
Departure City MARSH HARBOUR
Departure State OF
Departure Country
Departure Time 1425
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FPR
Destination City FORT PIERCE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 13
Runway Length 6930
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --