Douglas DC-3 accident near Key West, Florida, August 21, 2000
On August 21, 2000 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Douglas DC-3, registered N79MA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Key West, Florida (Key West International airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Failure of the right brake expander tube which limited the pilots control of the aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 21, 2000 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · Key West International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-3 · all DC-3s on the register
- Registration
- N79MA · no longer on the register · serial 4089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 60 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 2,600 as pilot in command; 652 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,714 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, July 6, 2000; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,200 lb
- Seats: 25
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright R-1820-56 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MHLC Hondurus OF at 12:30 pm
- Destination: EYW
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 4,800 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from EYW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.