- Date
- August 12, 1989, 12:27 local (16:27 UTC)
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, FL
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N5851CCessna 402C
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report October 24, 1990
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19890812028949A
- Case key
- 32478
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 failure of the pilot to position the auxiliary pump to low for takeoff, compunded by improper procuderes used during the resultant in-flight emergency.
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
Shortly after takeoff, the plt was advised by twr personnel that both eng's were trailing smoke. A witness described the smoke or vapor as black in color. This is indicative of a rich mixture. The plt then reported that the rt eng lost power & attempts to correct were unsuccessful. He then secured the eng & returned to land. After turning base & lowering 15 deg flaps & the landing gear, he reported the lt eng lost power. During the descent the acft collided with trees before coming to rest in a canal short of the rwy. The acft was recovered & both eng's ran & operated normally. The rt eng aux pump ops checked good. The lt eng aux pump was inop due to impact damage. The plt stated the aux pumps were off during takeoff. According to the flt manual. The pumps should be positioned to low for takeoff & vapor clearing, which is evidenced by a 'nervous' fuel flow needle.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N5851C
- Reported as
- Cessna 402C
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 402C0053
- Airframe hours
- 12,986
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-VB, 325 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Positioning · Part 91
- Operator
- Jet Flite
- Registered owner
- Jet Flite
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 19, 1989 · 48 hours before
- Destination
- MYBS · Bimini, OF
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- FLL
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
- 46
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 6,000 total · 1,200 in this make and model · 5,759 as pilot in command · 22 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 86 °F, dew point 73 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- FLL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.