Cessna 402C N5851C

Summary

On 12 August 1989 at about 16:27 local time, a Cessna 402C registered N5851C, operated by Jet Flite, was involved in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

12 August 1989 at 16:27

Classification

Accident

Location

Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States

Coordinates

26.0900, -80.1502

Aircraft

Cessna 402C

Registration

N5851C

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Jet Flite

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Positioning

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Unknown → Bimini

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

MIA89LA218

Nobody was injured.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO POSITION THE AUXILIARY PUMP TO LOW FOR TAKEOFF, COMPUNDED BY IMPROPER PROCUDERES USED DURING THE RESULTANT IN-FLIGHT EMERGENCY.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT WAS ADVISED BY TWR PERSONNEL THAT BOTH ENG'S WERE TRAILING SMOKE. A WITNESS DESCRIBED THE SMOKE OR VAPOR AS BLACK IN COLOR. THIS IS INDICATIVE OF A RICH MIXTURE. THE PLT THEN REPORTED THAT THE RT ENG LOST POWER & ATTEMPTS TO CORRECT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL. HE THEN SECURED THE ENG & RETURNED TO LAND. AFTER TURNING BASE & LOWERING 15 DEG FLAPS & THE LANDING GEAR, HE REPORTED THE LT ENG LOST POWER. DURING THE DESCENT THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES BEFORE COMING TO REST IN A CANAL SHORT OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS RECOVERED & BOTH ENG'S RAN & OPERATED NORMALLY. THE RT ENG AUX PUMP OPS CHECKED GOOD. THE LT ENG AUX PUMP WAS INOP DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE. THE PLT STATED THE AUX PUMPS WERE OFF DURING TAKEOFF. ACCORDING TO THE FLT MANUAL. THE PUMPS SHOULD BE POSITIONED TO LOW FOR TAKEOFF & VAPOR CLEARING, WHICH IS EVIDENCED BY A 'NERVOUS' FUEL FLOW NEEDLE.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.