Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marsh Harbour Burkina Faso
Saturday, March 20, 2004 9:25 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

On March 20, 2004, about 0925 eastern standard time, a Cessna 402C, N347AB, registered to Tropical Transport Services Ltd., Inc., operated by Safe Air International, Inc., experienced collapse of the left main landing gear while taxiing after landing at the Marsh Harbour International Airport, Marsh Harbour, Bahamas. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and a visual flight rules flight plan was filed for the 14 CFR Part 135 nonscheduled, international, passenger flight, operating as flight 555, from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport, to the Marsh Harbour International Airport. The airplane sustained minor damage and the airline transport-rated pilot and 7 passengers were not injured. The flight originated about 1 hour earlier from the Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport. The pilot stated that he landed to the east with the wind from 080 to 110 degrees at about 10 knots. No prior indication of a gear malfunction was noted before landing. After a normal touchdown, he felt a vibration from the left main landing gear and the airplane then began to drift to the left. He applied full right aileron and right rudder to keep the airplane's path straight. He was able to control the path of the airplane off the runway onto a taxiway at which point the left main landing gear collapsed. The airplane then spun around and came to rest facing 315 degrees. The passengers deplaned the airplane through the main door and were taken to the terminal. Preliminary examination of the airplane revealed that the upper barrel and trunnion assembly was fractured above the attach point for the uper link assembly. The investigation is under the jurisdiction of the Government of the Bahamas. Any further information pertaining to this accident may be obtained from: Manager of Flight Standards, Bahamas P.O. Box AP 59244 Nassau, N.P. Bahamas Phone: (242) 377-3445/3448 Facsimile: (242) 377-6060 This report is for information purposes only and contains only information obtained for or released by the Bahamian Government.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Incident
Event Date 3/20/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 925
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Marsh Harbour
Event State --
Event Country BURKINA FASO
Zipcode of the event site 00000
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 263041N
Event Location Longitude 0770500W
Event Location Airport --
Event Location Nearest Airport ID --
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport --
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID MYGF
Elevation of weather observation facility --
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions --
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 25
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 12
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator --
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 8
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency Foreign
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) --
NTSB Notification Source Bahamas Flight Standards
NTSB Notification Date Mar 24 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1530
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jan 31 2006 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record ntsb\Administrator
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Miami International Field Office

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N347AB
NTSB Number MIA04WA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Minor
Aircraft Fire --
Aircraft Explosion --
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 402C
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number --
Certified Max Gross Weight --
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class --
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft --
Number of Engines --
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection --
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed --
ELT Activated --
ELT Aided Location of Event Site --
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name --
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City --
Aircraft Owner State --
Aircraft Owner Country --
Aircraft Owner Zipcode --
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name --
Operator Same as Owner? --
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? --
Operator Street Address 650 S.W. 34th Street, Suite 306
Operator City Fort Lauderdale
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 33315
Operator Code SQFA
Owner has at least one certificate --
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not Non-scheduled
Indicates Domestic or International Flight International
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Passenger Only
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board --
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code KFLL
Departure City Fort Lauderdale
Departure State FL
Departure Country USA
Departure Time --
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code MYAM
Destination City Marsh Harbour
Destination State --
Destination Country BF
Specific Phase of Flight Taxi - from landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred Yes
Date of most recent change to record Apr 21 2004 8:12AM
User who most recently changed record KENJ
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location --
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --