Beech 76 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, July 9, 2018
On July 9, 2018 at about 7:20 pm local time, a 1979 Beech 76, registered N66340, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale Executive airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 receiving instruction's failure to maintain a proper approach path and her delayed go-around during a simulated emergency landing, which resulted in landing short of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the flight instructor's failure to properly monitor the student's approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 2018 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 76 No Series, built 1979 · all 76s on the register
- Registration
- N66340 · registry record · serial ME-241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that he asked the pilot receiving instruction to simulate a power-off emergency landing with a 180º turn to the runway and directed her to "lower the gear when landing was assured." After initiating the power-off approach, the pilot receiving instruction turned the airplane from the downwind leg onto the base leg of the traffic pattern and extended the landing gear. The sink rate increased, and she attempted to correct with full engine power, but the airplane continued to descend. The airplane landed short of the runway and struck a ground lighting system. The pilot receiving instruction then initiated a go-around and landed without further incident. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The instructor reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 080° at 8 knots. The airplane landed on runway 09.
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 area undershoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) 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 › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Student/instructed pilot
- factor Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Runway/taxi/approach light › Contributed to outcome
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 15 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 14,000 as pilot in command; 15,000 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 3,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O&VO-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Con
The flight
- Departed from: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL at 7:10 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 6,002 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 7:16 pm from KFXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 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 GAA18CA406.