Cessna 550 accident near Sarasota, Florida, September 27, 2015
On September 27, 2015 at about 11:06 pm local time, a 1978 Cessna 550, registered N622PG, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Sarasota, Florida (Sarasota/Bradenton Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain the proper touchdown point and to adequately slow the airplane within the available runway, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2015 · about 11:06 pm local time
- Place
- Sarasota, Florida · Sarasota/Bradenton Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 550, built 1978 · all 550s on the register
- Registration
- N622PG · registry record · serial 550-0037
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airline transport pilot was landing at the destination airport at the conclusion of a personal flight. Although the pilot reported that the airplane touched down near the threshold of the runway and that he used speed brakes, brakes, and thrust reversers to slow the airplane, review of a surveillance video revealed that the airplane touched down about 1,700 ft past the runway threshold of the 5,000-ft-long runway and that the thrust reversers were not deployed during the recorded portion of the landing roll. The airplane's tires left over 1,300 ft of skid marks before it overran the departure end of the runway, which resulted in substantial damage. While the pilot stated that the brakes had malfunctioned during the landing, examination and postaccident testing of the brakes revealed no evidence of any mechanical anomalies. Based on the available evidence, it is likely that the pilot landed the airplane well beyond the runway threshold and did not apply adequate braking effort until insufficient runway remained to stop the airplane on the paved surface.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,072 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 3,968 as pilot in command; 110 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 28, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 29, 2015; 9,212 hours since
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine 1: P&W Canada JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: P&W Canada JT15D-4 (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BCT Boca Raton FL at 10:27 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 5,009 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from SRQ
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on April 30, 2018. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 37 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Witness Statements | PDF, 14 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Airport Authority Report | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Airplane Owner's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 6 | Airport Surveillance Video | MOV file | Download |
| 7 | Airport Diagram | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.