Aerospatiale ATR-42-300 incident near Fort Myers, Florida, March 10, 1998
On March 10, 1998 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Aerospatiale ATR-42-300, registered N275BC, was involved in an incident near Fort Myers, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). No one was hurt; 47 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of the No. 1 generator field excitation return wire terminal lug due to improper installation of the field excitation return wire by maintenance personnel; the subsequent failure of the No. 2 generator due to overvoltage, caused by the momentary closure of the No. 1 generator contactor, as a result of the flight crew's attempt to reset the No. 1 generator, while an overvoltage condition existed at its POR, due to the shorted failure of the No. 1 GCU diode CR17; and the rapid failure of the aircraft's main battery, accelerated by its existing depleted condition, following an extended period of inadequate charging, due to a damaged electrical system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1998 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Myers, Florida · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 47 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aerospatiale ATR-42-300
- Registration
- N275BC · registry record · serial 275
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The No. 1 generator failed while in cruise flight. When the flighcrew attempted to reset the No. 1 generator, the No. 2 generator also failed. Attempts to reset either of the generators were unsuccessful and after about 1 minute the main battery failed. The flightcrew switched to the emergency battery and made a precautionary landing. Postlanding examination showed the No. 1 generator had failed due to failure of the field excitation wire lug which was caused by improper installation of the wire. The aircraft was on the second flight since the No. 1 generator was changed. The No. 2 generator operated normally in postlanding tests. The main battery was found to be discharged. The battery was returned to service after charging. After the incident the aircraft continued to discharge the main battery and the engine start switch was found defective causing the main battery to discharge.
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: 11,650 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 5,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 13,913 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, March 10, 1998; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 37,258 lb
- Seats: 49
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PW120 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flagship Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: TPA Tampa FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: MIA Miami FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 pm from RSW, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 44 |
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.