Fort Myers – Fort Lauderdale
Flight / Schedule
Fort Myers – Fort Lauderdale
Aircraft
Cessna 402Registration
N744MA
MSN
402B-0592
Year of Manufacture
1974
Operator
Execstar AviationDate
April 20, 1999 at 07:10 PM
Type
CRASHFlight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Crash Location
Fort Lauderdale-Executive Florida
Region
North America • United States of America
Coordinates
26.1960°, -80.1808°
Crash Cause
Technical failure
Narrative Report
On April 20, 1999 at 07:10 PM, Fort Myers – Fort Lauderdale experienced a crash involving Cessna 402, operated by Execstar Aviation, with the event recorded near Fort Lauderdale-Executive Florida.
The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.
1 people were known to be on board, 0 fatalities were recorded, 1 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 0.0%.
Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 0, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.
The listed crash cause is technical failure. While on approach to land the left engine surged and lost power. The pilot switched the left engine fuel selector to another fuel tank and the engine restarted. A short time later the left engine surged and lost power again. The pilot switched the left engine fuel selector to the right main fuel tank and the engine again restarted. A short time later the left engine quit again and he shutdown the engine and feathered the propeller. A short time later the right engine surged and lost power. He shut down the right engine and feathered the propeller. He then made a forced landing in a field and during landing rollout the aircraft's left wing collided with a tree. A fire erupted in the left wing area. Post crash examination showed the right main fuel tank was empty. The right auxiliary fuel tank contained 2.5 gallons. The left main fuel tank contained one half gallon of fuel and the left auxiliary tank was ruptured. The pilot operating handbook stated that the main fuel tanks had one gallon unusable fuel and the auxiliary fuel tanks had one half gallon of unusable fuel.
Aircraft reference details include registration N744MA, MSN 402B-0592, year of manufacture 1974.
Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 26.1960°, -80.1808°.
Fatalities
Total
0
Crew
0
Passengers
0
Other
0
Crash Summary
While on approach to land the left engine surged and lost power. The pilot switched the left engine fuel selector to another fuel tank and the engine restarted. A short time later the left engine surged and lost power again. The pilot switched the left engine fuel selector to the right main fuel tank and the engine again restarted. A short time later the left engine quit again and he shutdown the engine and feathered the propeller. A short time later the right engine surged and lost power. He shut down the right engine and feathered the propeller. He then made a forced landing in a field and during landing rollout the aircraft's left wing collided with a tree. A fire erupted in the left wing area. Post crash examination showed the right main fuel tank was empty. The right auxiliary fuel tank contained 2.5 gallons. The left main fuel tank contained one half gallon of fuel and the left auxiliary tank was ruptured. The pilot operating handbook stated that the main fuel tanks had one gallon unusable fuel and the auxiliary fuel tanks had one half gallon of unusable fuel.
Cause: Technical failure
Occupants & Outcome
Crew On Board
1
Passengers On Board
0
Estimated Survivors
1
Fatality Rate
0.0%
Known people on board: 1
Operational Details
Schedule / Flight
Fort Myers – Fort Lauderdale
Operator
Execstar AviationFlight Type
Cargo
Flight Phase
Landing (descent or approach)
Crash Site
Airport (less than 10 km from airport)
Region / Country
North America • United States of America
