Amateur-built DHC-8-102 accident near Jacksonville, Florida, March 23, 1993
On March 23, 1993 at about 11:52 pm local time, a amateur-built DHC-8-102, registered N928HA, was involved in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person was seriously injured; 21 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE OPERATOR'S LACK OF ADEQUATE INSTRUCTIONS TO CREWMEMBERS AS TO WHEN FLIGHT ATTENDANTS CAN RESUME CABIN DUTIES AFTER BEING TOLD TO BE SEATED BY THE CAPTAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 23, 1993 · about 11:52 pm local time
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 21 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DHC-8-102
- Registration
- N928HA · no longer on the register · serial DHC-8-102
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
38 MI FROM THE DESTINATION ARPT, THE CAPT NOTIFIED THE F/A TO BE SEATED DUE TO POSSIBLE TURBULENCE ENCOUNTER. AFTER COMPLETING THE APPROACH CHECKLIST, THE F/A WAS GIVEN THE SIGNAL TO PERFORM THE FINAL CABIN CHECK. 9 MI FROM THE ARPT, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED 'A SINGLE STRONG WINDSHEAR' WHICH CAUSED THE F/A TO BE THROWN AGAINST THE CEILING & THEN TO THE FLOOR. AT THE TIME OF THE OCCURENCE, THE AIRPLANE WAS OPERATING WITHIN A WEAK LEVEL I WX RADAR RETURN, WITHIN 6 MI OF A LEVEL II RETURN, AND WITHIN 9 MI OF A VERY STRONG LEVEL IV RETURN. THE OPERATOR'S FLT OPS MANUAL STATES THAT THE CAPT WILL ADVISE THE F/A AS TO WHETHER OR NOT HE/SHE SHOULD BE SEATED WITH THE SEAT BELT FASTENED. IN ADDITION, NEITHER THE FLT OPS MANUAL NOR THE F/A MANUAL GAVE ANY INSTRUCTIONS AS TO WHEN THE F/A SHOULD RESUME HIS/HER DUTIES AFTER BEING TOLD TO BE SEATED, NOR WAS THE CAPT INSTRUCTED TO NOTIFY THE F/A TO RESUME HIS/HER DUTIES.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,065 hours in all; 2,650 in this make and model; 171 in the last 90 days; 104 in the last 30 days; 6,681 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,081 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 21, 1993; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 34,700 lb
- Seats: 41
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W 120A (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Henson Aviation, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 11:08 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from JAX, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 2 | ||
| Passengers | 19 |
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.