Palm Beach Intl Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

West Palm Beach, Florida 33416
Sunday, April 2, 1989 11:12 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD THREE GREEN LIGHTS ON APPROACH, BUT ON LANDING ROLLOUT, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT SLID OFF THE RUNWAY INTO THE GRASS. AN EXAM OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR REVEALED THE BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY HAD FAILED DUE TO BINDING, CAUSED BY LACK OF LUBRICATION OF THE DOWN LOCK BRACE. THE PLT HAD TAKEN THE ACFT TO MAINTAINENCE FOR CORRECTIVE ACTION WHEN THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR LIGHT DID NOT FUNCTION ON THE PREVIOUS FLT. THE ACFT WAS CHECKED AS OK & RELEASED FOR FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

FAILURE OF THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR BELLCRANK ASSEMBLY DUE TO BINDING AND INADEQUATE MAINTENANCE LUBRICATION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/2/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1112
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City WEST PALM BEACH
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33416
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport PALM BEACH INTL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID PBT
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 19
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1100 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID PBI
Elevation of weather observation facility 19
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 4500
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) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 90
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 17
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 1000
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 265
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 2 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1148
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38581
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N4273C
NTSB Number MIA89LA121
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 340A
Aircraft Series Identifier 340A
Aircraft Serial Number 340A1009
Certified Max Gross Weight 5990
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 --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MIDDLE ATLANTIC WHSE DIST INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 601 VICKERS ST
Aircraft Owner City TONAWANDA
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name CLAY E BUZZARD
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3655 ROYAL TERN CIR.
Operator City BOYNTON BEACH
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
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 --