Cessna 411 accident near Williston, Florida, September 13, 1997
On September 13, 1997 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 411, registered N12WT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williston, Florida (Williston Municipal airport). It was a personal 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-in-command's excessive taxi speed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1997 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Williston, Florida · Williston Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 411 · all 411s on the register
- Registration
- N12WT · registry record · serial 411-0080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While attempting a 130-degree change in direction to the right off the runway while travelling, according to witnesses, 'a little fast', the left main landing gear collapsed. Examination of the left main landing gear revealed that the side brace lock bolt was failed. Metallurgical examination of the failed bolt revealed that it failed due to shear. Hardness tests indicate that it was within limits. The bolt had been installed 3.0 hours earlier during the last annual inspection.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,202 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 830 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,232 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 1997; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OCF Ocala FL at 8:30 pm
- Destination: X60
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,050 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from OCF, 17 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
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 MIA97LA253.