Cessna CE-500 accident near Fishers Island, New York, June 20, 1998
On June 20, 1998 at about 1:44 am local time, a Cessna CE-500, registered N41SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fishers Island, New York (Elizabeth Field Airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
An intermittent short in the right wheel anti-skid system which caused a loss of braking and subsequent overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 20, 1998 · about 1:44 am local time
- Place
- Fishers Island, New York · Elizabeth Field Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna CE-500
- Registration
- N41SH · registry record · serial 500-0267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane landed on a dark night on a 2,328 ft long runway. The pilot and co-pilot reported the airplane touched down on the numbers, and after initial braking and deceleration, the brakes ceased to work, but the brake pedals remained firm. The pilot attempted to reach the emergency brake handle but was restrained by the shoulder harness which had locked. He then pressed very hard on the brake pedals and overrode the anti-skid system and was able to momentarily push the brakes into manual. He was unable to stop the airplane on the runway and struck a rock seawall at the departure end of the runway. Post accident examination found an intermittent short in the wiring on the right wheel anti-skid system. According to the anti-skid manufacturer, with an intermittent short, the ANTI-SKID FAIL light would not illuminate. Photos of tire marks on the runway indicated the system was occasionally reverting to manual braking due to the pilot pushing extremely hard on the brake pedals. The required landing distance of 2,146 feet was computed with the airplane crossing the runway threshold at 50 feet.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,651 hours in all; 750 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 12,559 as pilot in command; 2,203 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,598 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, May 6, 1998; 67 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TEB Teterboro NJ at 1:15 am
- Destination: 0B8
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,328 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from GON, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N41SH 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.