Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10 accident near Panama City, Florida, June 7, 2023
On June 7, 2023 at about 1:17 am local time, a 1977 Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, registered N87RT, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Panama City, Florida (Northwest Florida Beaches Inte airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew’s failure to appropriately configure the airplane for landing, which resulted in a failed attempt to utilize the thrust reversers during landing and the inability to stop the airplane using its brakes due to increased forward thrust. Contributing to the accident was the flight crew’s failure to utilize the appropriate checklist for the thrust reverser equipped airplane.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 2023 · about 1:17 am local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Northwest Florida Beaches Inte · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault-Breguet FALCON 10, built 1977 · all FALCON 10s on the register
- Registration
- N87RT · registry record · serial 106
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arriving at the destination airport, the business jet touched down about 2,500 ft beyond the threshold of the 10,000-ft-long runway. The pilot extended the airplane’s flight spoilers and attempted to activate the thrust reversers, but the airplane did not decelerate as expected and a warning horn sounded. The pilots then attempted to apply normal followed by emergency braking, both of which were ineffective in slowing the airplane. The airplane subsequently overran the runway and struck several approach lighting stanchions, coming to rest after the landing gear collapsed. The airplane’s occupants were uninjured, but the airplane was substantially damaged during the accident sequence. Following the accident, the captain noticed he had forgotten to move the thrust reverser emergency stow switches to their normal operating position after completing a preflight check. The warning horn heard during the landing was an indication of the stowed thrust reverser switches. The ineffective braking likely occurred because of the engines’ increased thrust output due to the attempted application of the thrust reversers with the switches in the stowed position. A postaccident examination of the wreckage confirmed that there was no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. The airplane checklist found in the cockpit was marked “For Training Purposes Only” and for an airplane that was not equipped with thrust reversers.
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
- Aircraft inspection event during prior to flight
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › Thrust reverser › Incorrect use/operation other cases naming the engine
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Inspection › Preflight inspection › Flight crew
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of checklist › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 29,000 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 22,000 as pilot in command; 8,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 30, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 441 hours in all; 33 in this make and model; 104 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 200 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 28, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,014 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 22, 2023; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 18,740 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TFE 731-2C (turbofan); 9,631 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TFE 731-2C (turbofan); 9,599 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Development Group
The flight
- Departed from: RYY Atlanta GA
- Destination: ECP Panama City FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 10,000 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 190° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 8:20 pm from ECP
Weather report (METAR): SPECI KECP 070120Z 19004KT 10SM CLR 24/21 A2987 RMK AO1 T02440206=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Photographs from the investigation 22 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Main Wreckage
Photograph 2 – Left Wing and Engine
Photograph 3 – Right Wing and Engine
Photograph 4 – Right Wing and Empennage
Photograph 5 – Rear View
Photograph 6 – Left Rear View
Photograph 7 – Left Wing
Photograph 8 – Cockpit
Photograph 8 – Enhanced Cockpit Photo
Photograph 10 – T/R Emergency Stow Switches as Found Prior to Aircraft Recovery
Photograph 13 – Thrust Levers
Photograph 14 – Top of Left Wing
Photograph 16 – Top Midspan Portion of Right Wing
Photograph 17 – Top Outboard Portion of Right Wing
Photograph 18 – Nose Landing Gear
Photograph 19 – Frame 0 (Forward Pressurization Bulkhead)
Photograph 20 – 121AL Service Door (Pressurized)
Photograph 21 – Aft Right Corner of 121AL Service Door and Frame 1 (Pressurized)
Photograph 22 – Flight Safety Pilot Checklist
Photograph 23 – Flight Safety Pilot Checklist (“For Training Purposes Only”)
Photograph 24 – Right Engine
Photograph 25 – Left EngineThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
18 documents, released by the NTSB on July 3, 2025. 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.
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N87RT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Dassault FALCON 10 57 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Dassault 232 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731-2C 2 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Garrett TFE 731-2C 2 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Northwest Florida Beaches International · nearest airport
- Cobb County Intl/Mccollum Field · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 988 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,696 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ERA23LA261.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.