- Date
- July 2, 2021, 07:10 local (11:10 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Injuries
- 7 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N4550QCessna 402A
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Eastern Region Aviation
- Parties
- FAA/ FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210702004099A
- Case key
- 103448
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
The 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.
Findings · 4
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported that during takeoff, the forward wind screen began to fog and became progressively worse. As he increased the pitch for rotation, all forward visibility was obscured when the sun glare moved directly into his eyes and combined with the condensation on the wind screen. Shortly after rotation, the airplane impacted a taxiway directional sign on the right side of the runway with the left main landing gear. The pilot returned and landed without incident. A post-accident examination revealed substantial damage to the elevator. The pilot reported that there were no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. The operator reported that they updated their operating procedures to formalize the requirement during preflight to remove any debris or condensation from the windscreen, which may include the use of hot water. In addition, the subjects of windscreen cleanliness and sunshade devices were added to their training manual.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4550Q
- Reported as
- Cessna 402A (NO SERIES)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402A0050
- Built
- 1969
- Airframe hours
- 15,041
- Engines
- Continental TSIO-520-E, 300 horsepower, reciprocatingContinental TSIO-520-E, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Island Wings Inc, doing business as Island Wings
- Registered owner
- Island Wings Inc
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · April 29, 2021 · 74 hours before
- Departed
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Destination
- MYAT · Treasure Cay, OF
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FXE · Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, runway 09/27, 6,002 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Auto-pilot, ADS-B, Stall warning system
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 66
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- March 9, 2021
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- Lap only
- Flight hours
- 20,000 total · 300 in this make and model · 15,000 as pilot in command · 40 in the last 90 days · 20 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 100° at 3 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 73 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.01 inHg
- Observed at
- FXE
- METAR
- KFXE 021053Z 10003KT 10SM CLR 23/23 A3001 RMK AO2 SLP164 T02280228 $
Docket · 6
The files NTSB released with the investigation on May 4, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 16.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N4550Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.