19990608021729A

On June 8, 1999, about 1526 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 402C, N440AB, registered to tropical international airlines, inc., and operated by air sunshine, inc., as a title 14 CFR part 135 non-scheduled international passenger flight, public charter, from fort Lauderdale, FL, to marsh harbour, Bahamas, ran off the side of the runway and collided with an airport sign during takeoff from fort Lauderdale. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed. The aircraft received substantial damage and the airline transport-rated pilot and nine passengers were not injured. The flight was originating at the time of the accident. The pilot stated that during takeoff roll on runway 9 right it was raining hard. At about 80-85 knots he raised the aircraft's nose slightly. At about 1,200-1,300 feet down the runway, while at a speed of 85-90 knots, he felt the aircraft jerk to the left and the left wing drop down. About 5 seconds later, he noticed the left main wheel was in the grass off the left side of the runway. He aborted the takeoff and applied right rudder in an attempt to direct the aircraft back onto the runway. Th e aircraft remained off the runway and crossed over a taxiway and collided with a taxiway sign, at which time the landing gear collapsed. The aircraft then impacted nose first in a large puddle of water and spun around to the left coming to rest on a northwesterly heading. Postcrash examination of the runway showed the aircraft's left main tiree dropped off the runway edge at about 1,300 feet from the beginning of the runway. At about 1,450 feet, the nose landing gear went off the runway. At about 1,600 feet, the right main landing gear went off the runway. At about 2,000 feet from the beginning of the runway, the aircraft crossed over the "G-3" taxiway and collided with the taxiway identifier sign. The landing gear separated at this point. The aircraft then nosed down and collided with the ground in an area of standing water. The aircraft came to rest in the grass area about 100 feet north of the runway, about 2,500 feet from the beginning of the runway. Airport personnel who responded to the accident stated there were no areas of standing water on the area of the runway used by the accident aircraft. (.4)during taxi and takeoff on runway 9 right, the pilot and passengers stated the windows of the aircraft were fogged over due to rain. The passengers stated they could not see out the front windows. The pilot stated he could see out the front windows. The passengers also stated the pilot was holding the control wheel full to the right during takeoff. The winds were reported to be from 030 at 10 knots. During takeoff roll the aircraft drifted to the left and went off the runway. The aircraft then crossed over a taxiway and collided with a taxiway identifier sign. The nose gear collapsed and separated. The aircraft then impacted a ditch. The main landing gear collapsed and separated, and the aircraft spun around 90 degrees to the left and came to rest about 100 feet north of the runway. No windshear alerts were recorded during the time of taxi and takeoff of the flight and no standing water was observed on the runway by airport operations personnel shortly after the accident.