Cessna 402C accident near Andytown, Florida, August 25, 1993
On August 25, 1993 at about 12:55 pm local time, a Cessna 402C, registered N206RH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Andytown, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FEATHER THE PROPELLER WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER, AND HIS FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURE CHECKLIST. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE INADEQUATE DESIGN OF THE FUEL TANK FLOAT VALVES WHICH ALLOWED FOR EXCESSIVE WEAR AND SUBSEQUENT INDUCTION OF UNMETERED AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 25, 1993 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- Andytown, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402C · all 402Cs on the register
- Registration
- N206RH · registry record · serial 0206
- 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
THE PILOT WAS DEVIATING AROUND WEATHER DURING DESCENT WHEN HE NOTED THE FUEL FLOW AND MANIFOLD PRESSURE ON THE LEFT ENGINE OSCILLATING. BECAUSE THE PROPELLER WAS STILL TURNING HE ELECTED NOT TO FEATHER THE LEFT PROPELLER. THE AIRPLANE WOULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE SO HE LOWERED THE LANDING GEAR AND DITCHED THE AIRPLANE IN A SWAMP. EXAMINATION OF THE LEFT FUEL TANK REVEALED THE FUEL FLOAT VALVE ACTUATORS AND FLOAT ARMS EXCESSIVELY WORN. THIS CONDITION WOULD ALLOW UNMETERED AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES. ALSO NOTED WAS THE CONDITION OF ONE OF THE LEFT FUEL VALVES THAT COULD JAM OPEN ALLOWING THE FUEL PICKUP TO UNPORT AND INDUCE EXCESSIVE AIR INTO THE FUEL LINES.
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: 3,000 hours in all; 2,400 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 2,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,918 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 6, 1993; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520VB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Air Sunshine INC.
The flight
- Departed from: SRQ Sarasota FL at 12:25 pm
- Destination: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:55 pm from MIA, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
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 N206RH 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.