Cessna 208 accident near Key West, Florida, January 31, 2001
On January 31, 2001 at about 3:40 pm local time, a Cessna 208, registered N208KW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Key West, Florida (Key West International airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplanes' inadvertent collision with a swell during a water landing near a ferry boat that resulted the overload failure of the rear float/strut assembly.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2001 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · Key West International
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208 · all 208s on the register
- Registration
- N208KW · no longer on the register · serial 20800292
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot planned and performed a water landing to avoid any past wake swells created by the ferry boat. Approximately 1/2 to 3/4 through his landing slide, with the plane slowed to approximate 30 - 35 knots, a large swell appeared before him. Despite efforts to avoid the wake created by the boat, the airplane encountered a swell that launched the airplane 10-15 feet into the air. The airplane subsequently collided with the water and the rear float struts failed at the attachment points. No mechanical problems with the airplane were reported by the pilot.
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: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 15,000 hours in all; 2,620 in this make and model; 140 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 14,700 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 5, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,787 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 30, 2001; 0.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,360 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT8-114A (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EYW Key West AK at 3:00 pm
- Destination: EYW
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from MIA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.