- Date
- August 21, 2000, 13:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Key West, FL
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Taxi
- Aircraft
- N79MADouglas DC-3
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 2, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000821011009A
- Case key
- 50075
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
Failure of the right brake expander tube which limited the pilots control of the aircraft.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
According to the pilot, after exiting the runway, he taxied normally to the U.S. Customs service ramp. Upon attempting to turn right at the Customs Ramp, no right brake function was available. The pilot said that due to the close proximity of other aircraft, differential power was not an option. The pilot stated that he cut the magnetos and tried to gently brake with the left brake. He said the left wing struck a parked Beech-18, damaging the upper engine nacelle and propeller. He said that the impact caused the airplane to continue to the left until the right propeller not rotating struck the left wing of the same Beech-18. Examination of the right brake found that the right expander tube had failed. As a result, the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before colliding with a parked and unoccupied Beech 18.
Factual narrative
On August 21, 2000, at 1300 eastern daylight time, a Douglas DC-3, N79MA, collided with a parked Beech 18, N697Q, while taxiing to the parking ramp after landing at the Key West International Airport in Key West, Florida. The airplane was operated by Missionair, Inc., under the provisions of Title 14, CFR Part 91, and visual flight rules. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The pilot and co-pilot were not injured and the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight had originated from La Ceiba, Hondurus at 0830.
According to the pilot, after exiting the runway, he taxied normally to the U.S. Customs service ramp. Upon attempting to turn right at the Customs Ramp, no right brake function was available. The pilot said that due to the close proximity of other aircraft, differential power was not an option. The pilot stated that he cut the magnetos and tried to gently brake with the left brake. He said the left wing struck a parked Beech-18, damaging the upper engine nacelle and propeller. He said that the impact caused the airplane to continue to the left until the right propeller not rotating struck the left wing of the same Beech-18.
Examination of the right brake found that the right expander tube had failed. As a result, the pilot was unable to stop the airplane before colliding with a parked and unoccupied Beech 18.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N79MA
- Reported as
- Douglas DC-3
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 4089
- Airframe hours
- 17,714
- Engine
- Wright R-1820-56, 1,200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Missionair Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Continuous airworthiness · July 6, 2000 · 25 hours before
- Departed
- MHLC · Hondurus, OF
- Destination
- EYW
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- EYW · Key West International, runway 9, 4,800 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 51
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 3,000 total · 2,600 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days · 28 in the last 30 days · 4 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 90 °F, dew point 75 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- EYW
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.