Cessna 340A accident near Brownsville, Texas, January 17, 2000
On January 17, 2000 at about 4:41 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered XBBJU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brownsville, Texas (Brownsville airport). It was a ferry 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 hard landing of the aircraft resulting from the pilot's excessive rate of descent on the VFR approach. A factor was the loss of right engine power for an undetermined reason.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 17, 2000 · about 4:41 pm local time
- Place
- Brownsville, Texas · Brownsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- XBBJU · no longer on the register · serial 340-A-0773
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
On the downwind leg of the VFR approach to runway 13R, the pilot reported a loss of right engine power. The pilot elected to land on runway 35. The airplane descended and landed 'very hard' on the runway. Both wings were bent downward outboard of the engine nacelles. A post accident inspection of the right engine revealed no anomalies.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 530 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,990 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520VBCNB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UNKN Victoria at 2:00 pm
- Destination: BRO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 6,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from BRO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.