Tampa International Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Tampa, Florida 33614
Wednesday, February 27, 2008 1:41 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

While inbound to land, the pilot lowered the landing gear using the normal system and the nose and left main landing gears went into the down and locked position; however, the right main landing gear did not due to a false down-and-locked indication caused by a malfunction of the right main landing gear down-and-locked switch. As such, the pilot observed a green light indicating that all landing gears were down and locked and continued the approach. During the landing roll the right main landing gear collapsed. Postaccident examination revealed that the malfunction of the right down-and-locked switch was caused by a bent plunger, which shut off the electrically-driven hydraulic pump before the right gear went into the down and locked position. Since 1992, the right main landing gear down-and-locked switch had been replaced six times, with the latest replacement occurring in October 2004. The airplane had been operated for 2,082 hours since the latest switch replacement. Additionally, the operator performs gear rigging testing every 300 hours. The latest rigging check occurred on November 15, 2007. The airplane had accumulated approximately 218 hours since then at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The malfunction of the right main landing gear down-and-locked switch.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 2/27/2008
Event Day of the Week Wednesday
Time of Event 141
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City Tampa
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33614
Event Date Year 2008
Event Date Month 2
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 275832N
Event Location Longitude 0823159W
Event Location Airport Tampa International Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID TPA
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 26
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 153 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) --
Weather Observation Facility ID TPA
Elevation of weather observation facility 26
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) --
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 10000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 330
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 25440
NTSB Notification Source FAA/FSDO
NTSB Notification Date Feb 27 2008 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time --
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information --
Date of most recent change to record May 12 2009 10:37AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Tampa, Florida

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5489V
NTSB Number MIA08LA066
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? Yes
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 210L
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 21060961
Certified Max Gross Weight 3800
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 1
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 25 2007 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 14077
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type Unknown
Aircraft Owner Name FLIGHT EXPRESS
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 1823
Aircraft Owner City ORLANDO
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 32802-1823
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name FLIGHT EXPRESS INC
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3614 E. Amelia Street
Operator City Orlando
Operator State FL
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 32803
Operator Code FPIA
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
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 Domestic
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Cargo
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) --
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code CAE
Departure City Columbia
Departure State SC
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 2243
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code TPA
Destination City Tampa
Destination State FL
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing - roll
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record May 12 2009 10:38AM
User who most recently changed record kenj
Since inspection or accident Last Inspection
Event Location Runway Number and Location 27
Runway Length 6999
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --