Cessna 414A accident near Tampa, Florida, January 5, 2026
On January 5, 2026, a 1981 Cessna 414A, registered N140KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Tampa, Florida (Tampa Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to secure a bottle, which restricted movement of the right rudder pedal during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 2026
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A, built 1981 · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N140KM · registry record · serial 414A-0674
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on approach to the destination airport, he had difficulty with the airplane’s autopilot and pitch trim. He was able to resolve those issues and land the airplane; however, during the landing roll, the airplane began to drift to the left. The pilot attempted to correct with right rudder and brake inputs, but the airplane continued to the left. It exited the runway, passed through grass, and impacted an airport taxiway sign, which resulted in the collapse of the nose landing gear and substantial damage to the airplane’s fuselage. Once the airplane was stopped, the pilot noticed a bottle was wedged behind the right rudder pedal and was restricting its movement. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Task monitoring/vigilance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Yaw control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,038.3 hours in all; 974.4 in this make and model; 8.6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,967 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 26, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,707 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2025; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,100 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 3: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-NB (piston); 1,593 hours total
- Engine 5: Teledyne Continental Motors TSIO-520-NB (piston); 1,929 hours total
- Operator: Knight Edge LLC
The flight
- Departed from: MYNN Nassau OF at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 01R, 8,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from TPA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KTPA 042353Z COR 04005KT 10SM CLR 18/16 A3005 RMK SLP175 T01830156 10244 20183 53005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA26LA087.