20210702004099A

Accident · Substantial damage

FAA accident report · Cessna 402A · Fort Lauderdale, FL · July 2, 2021

Date: July 2, 2021 · 07:05 local
Place: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Airport: Fort Lauderdale Executive
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Rotation
Operating rules: Air taxi and commuter (Part 135)
Operator: M7JA
Damage: Substantial damage
Aircraft: N4550Q
NTSB investigation: NTSBERA21LA281
Reported as: Cessna 402A
Reported engine: Continental IO-520 series
People aboard: 7
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Airline transport, flight instructor
Pilot’s flight hours: 20,500 total500 in this make and model60 in the last 90 days

N4550QRegistered now · Cessna 402AS/N 402A0050 · Built 1969 Airframe modelCessna 402A Engine modelContinental IO-520 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Airman took off with sun in his eyes and moisture on windshield causing trouble keeping eye contact with the runway centerline. He lost control and veered off the runway and about the time of rotation hit a runway sign. He went airborne and landed without incident.

Damage to the aircraft as reported by the pmi from her inspection was: left and right engine propeller strike, left main landing gear mount structure severed, left elevator buckled and left stabilizer tip crushed

As the FAA filed it

AIRMAN TOOK OFF WITH SUN IN HIS EYES AND MOISTURE ON WINDSHIELD CAUSING TROUBLE KEEPING EYE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY CENTERLINE. HE LOST CONTROL AND VEERED OFF THE RUNWAY AND ABOUT THE TIME OF ROTATION HIT A RUNWAY SIGN. HE WENT AIRBORNE AND LANDED WITHOUT INCIDENT.

DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT AS REPORTED BY THE PMI FROM HER INSPECTION WAS: LEFT AND RIGHT ENGINE PROPELLER STRIKE, LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR MOUNT STRUCTURE SEVERED, LEFT ELEVATOR BUCKLED AND LEFT STABILIZER TIP CRUSHED

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB ERA21LA281Accident · No injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportFort Lauderdale, FLThe pilot’s loss of directional control during takeoff with a fogged wind screen and sun glare, which resulted in a runway excursion and a collision with a taxiway sign.Jul 2, 2021 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N4550Q · 3

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

Incident 20001219038099IRoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · Collegeville, PA(-23) The pilot was landing at Perkiomen Valley Airport (N10) at approx. 1210 EST. On roll-out, the pilot attempted to stop the aircraft. The left brake failed. The aircraft veered off the right side of the west end of runway 27. The aircraft sustained minor…Dec 19, 2000 · Minor damage Incident 19920317012939INormal Cruise · South Bend, INLoss of oil pressure in left engine. Shut engine down. Continued to destination. Oil leak in the accessory housing.Mar 17, 1992 Accident 19751222039959ARoll-Out (Fixed Wing) · White Plains, NYWind gusting 31KTS. Nose gr collapsed. 1/2 mile vis apch min.Dec 22, 1975 · Substantial damage