Air Gulfstream Airlines INC SX-300 accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, November 14, 2009
On November 14, 2009 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Air Gulfstream Airlines INC SX-300, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N884, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach County Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of directional control while landing for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 14, 2009 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach County Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Air Gulfstream Airlines INC SX-300, amateur-built
- Registration
- N884 · registry record · serial 84
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the airplane began to track to the right immediately after touchdown on runway 15. He applied left rudder and full power in an attempt to go around and the airplane lifted briefly, but then touched down off the right side of the runway. Upon contact with the unimproved surface, all three landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage to the airplane. The nearest official weather reporting station, approximately 5 miles to the north of the accident site, reported that the winds were from 010 degrees at 6 knots. The pilot indicated that there was a mechanical malfunction with the brakes or landing gear that caused the airplane to track to the right upon touchdown. He also stated that he successfully performed a brake check prior to the flight, and that the airplane was tracking normally during the takeoff roll. Examination by an airframe and power plant mechanic revealed that the right main gear upper trunnion mount and the left main landing gear scissor were broken. All components of the brake system were in “very good, operational, condition” and there was no evidence of any preexisting anomalies with either the brakes or the landing gear.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll)
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 4,950 hours in all; 930 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 4,950 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 931 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 5, 2009; 2 hours since
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Gulfstream Airlines INC
The flight
- Departed from: PHK Pahokee FL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: LNA West Palm Beach FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,421 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from KPBI, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
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.