Cessna 525A accident near Tampa, Florida, February 16, 2006
On February 16, 2006 at about 9:47 pm local time, a Cessna 525A, registered N701TF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Tampa International Airport). It was an executive or corporate 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
Failure of both the left main and auxiliary brake lines due to fatigue cracking, rendering directional control impossible. A contributing factor in this accident was the airport sign concrete pad.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2006 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Tampa International Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 525A · all 525As on the register
- Registration
- N701TF · registry record · serial 525A-0112
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on runway 18L. During the landing rollout, the airplane "swerved" to the right with application of brakes. The pilot corrected back to the runway centerline with rudder. He applied brakes again and the airplane again "swerved" to the right. He again corrected back to the runway centerline and applied the brakes a third time. The airplane again "swerved" to the right. He then applied the emergency brake. The airplane departed the right side of the runway and struck the concrete pad of a runway marker sign. An FAA inspector reported finding hydraulic fluid covering the left main landing gear. He said the main and auxiliary left brake lines were both fractured, and the right main landing gear tire was "shredded off the wheel." According to NTSB's Materials Laboratory Factual Report, the brake line transmits hydraulic fluid and the auxiliary brake line transmits compressed nitrogen. Both brake line fractures were the result of fatigue cracking. No mechanical or other damage was evident on the exterior of the line in the initiation area. Maintenance records dating back to the airplane's date of manufacture revealed the brake lines had never been removed or replaced.
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,576 hours in all; 2,522 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 6,475 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 711 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2006
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Williams International FJ44-A (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Williams International FJ44-A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KMKY Marco Island FL at 9:00 pm
- Destination: KTPA Tampa FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18L, 8,300 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KTPA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N701TF the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.