NTSB Factual Report

On December 14, 2002, about 1800 eastern standard time, a Beech 200, N623VP, registered to and operated by KG Beverage Inc., as a title 14 CFR Part 91 corporate flight, had the landing gear collapse in Jacksonville, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The airline transport-rated pilot, first officer, and one passenger were not injured, and the airplane incurred substantial damage. The flight originated from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, the same day, about 1545.

As the flight departed from Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (FXE), Fort Lauderdale, Florida, en route to Craig Municipal Airport, Jacksonville, Florida, the first officer said that during takeoff/initial climb, about an altitude of 500 feet, as the landing gear lever was activated to retract the landing gear, a red landing gear light was displayed, and the gear handle stayed in the retracted position, and the gear failed to retract fully. The first officer stated that at the time the gear was being retracted, the passenger said that he heard loud noise and a whine under the airplane. The first officer said they continued the climb to a safe altitude, and tried to recycle the gear handle, but nothing happened. The first officer then followed the emergency gear extension checklist and attempted to pump the gear down, but there was no success in moving the emergency gear extension handle. He further stated that they performed the emergency checklist, trying to correct the problem, but did not have any success, so the captain elected to continue to their destination due to the quantity of fuel onboard. En route to Jacksonville, Florida, the first officer said they flew by Sanford, Florida, but the FAA air traffic controllers in the tower could not visually determine if the landing gear was "down and locked."

After trying several times to extend the landing gear, they made an emergency landing on runway 31 at Jacksonville International Airport, Jacksonville, Florida. The first officer said that the airplane touched down and rolled several feet, and as the airplane slowed down the right main landing gear collapsed, and then the left main gear collapsed, leaving the nose gear extended during the landing rollout, as the weight of the airplane settled on the landing gear, the right main landing gear collapsed, followed by the left main landing gear, and the airplane was damaged.

FAA inspectors responded to the accident, and found that there was extensive damage to the main landing gear system. The damage to the system included both main landing gear shafts having been bent, the left main landing gear actuator having dislodged from its mount at the spar web, the right main landing gear actuator mounting bracket having torn from the spar web, and the mounting flange for the main landing gear actuator mounting bracket having torn at its attaching points. In addition, examination by an FAA licensed airframe and powerplant mechanic revealed that the actuator nut assemblies were bent, but according to the mechanic, it could not be determined if the nut assemblies had been damaged before the accident. The mechanic also found that the airplane's maintenance logbooks failed to show that Raytheon Mandatory Service Bulletin 32-3433 had not been completed.

The landing gear actuators were removed and shipped to Kelley Aerospace, Wichita, Kansas, for a detailed examination, and the examination did not reveal any anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause

Failure of the main landing gear locking mechanism for undetermined reasons, which resulted in the main landing gear collapsing, and damage to the airplane during landing.