Cessna 402 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, June 14, 2018
On June 14, 2018 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1981 Cessna 402, registered N322HA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Fort Lauderdale, Florida (Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
The failure of the left starter relay, which resulted in a loss of electrical power during the flight and the failure of the T-handle from the cable led to a forced landing with the landing gear retracted.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 2018 · about 4:00 pm local time · cases in 2018
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood Intl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 402 C, built 1981 · all 402s on the register
- Registration
- N322HA · registry record · serial 402C0418
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
About 20 minutes into the flight, the airplane experienced a total electrical failure. The pilot maneuvered the airplane in circles while attempting to troubleshoot the problem and perform emergency checklists. Despite his efforts, power was not restored, and the electrically actuated hydraulic landing gear would not extend. The pilot attempted to extend the landing gear using the emergency extension system, but when he pulled the T-handle, it broke off from its housing, separating it from the cable. After additional troubleshooting attempts on the electrical system, the pilot chose to land at a nearby airport, and the airplane landed on the runway with the landing gear retracted, which resulted in substantial damage to the fuselage. A mechanic who performed a postaccident examination of the airplane stated that the left starter motor and starter relay/solenoid had electrical shorts. Additionally, the starter relay remained in the closed position, which likely resulted in the airplane drawing a greater electrical load and draining the battery, leading to a complete loss of power. The emergency extension T-handle was not examined after the accident. However, based on the pilot’s account of the handle breaking off when he attempted to use the emergency extension system, it is likely this prevented the manual extension of the landing gear, which resulted in the forced landing with the landing gear retracted.
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
What happened, in order
- Electrical system malf/failure during enroute
- Landing gear not configured during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Gear extension and retract sys › Malfunction other cases naming the landing gear
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Ignition system › Ignition power supply › Malfunction other cases naming the engine
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,342 hours in all; 343 in this make and model; 144 in the last 90 days; 37 in the last 30 days; 1,213 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: November 13, 2017
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,185.4 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 7, 2018
- Maximum gross weight: 6,850 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Continental TSIO520VB (piston); 1,139 hours total
- Engine 2: Continental TSIO520VB (piston); 1,021 hours total
- Operator: Air Flight Inc
The flight
- Departed from: FLL Fort Lauderdale FL at 12:30 pm
- Destination: MYAF Fresh Creek OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 10R, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; a few clouds at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 81°F (27°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from KFLL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 11, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N322HA on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 402 174 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental TSIO520VB 11 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Engine: Continental TSIO520VB 11 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International · nearest airport
- Fresh Creek Airport · bound for
- Accidents and incidents in Florida 6,111 since 1982 · 984 in the last ten years
- Florida 21,709 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR18LA209.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.