Cessna 402C accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, March 16, 2000
On March 16, 2000 at about 9:12 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N251RS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person had minor injuries; 9 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Separation of the right main landing gear tire recap during takeoff resulting in the pilot's loss of directional control, the aircraft departing the runway, collapse of the landing gear, and collision with the airport fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 16, 2000 · about 9:12 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 9 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N251RS · no longer on the register · serial 402C0251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During takeoff, at between 85-90 knots the right main landing gear tire failed. The aircraft veered to the right and the pilot was unable to regain control. The aircraft departed the right side of the runway, spun around, collapsed the landing gear, and collided with the airport fence, where it came to rest. Examination of the right main landing gear tire showed the recap had separated from the tire and the tire had stopped rotating, causing friction damage and rapid air loss. The tire had been recapped on November 17, 1999, and installed on the aircraft on February 15, 2000. The tire had accumulated 45.2 flight hours from the time of installation until the accident.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,000 hours in all; 1,850 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 2,650 as pilot in command; 200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,456 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 15, 2000; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,210 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Sunshine, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: FLL at 9:12 pm
- Destination: SRQ Sarasota FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 9R, 5,276 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 3,200 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:21 pm from FLL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 8 |
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.