Cessna 414 accident near West Palm Beach, FL
On October 8, 2020, a Cessna 414 (airplane) was involved in an accident near West Palm Beach, FL. 7 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 8, 2020
- Place
- West Palm Beach, FL
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 7 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 26.840°N, 80.217°W
- NTSB ID
- 20201008102116
Official records · ERA21LA011
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On October 8, 2020, about 1115 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 414, N8132Q, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident at North Palm Beach County General Aviation Airport, (F45) West Palm Beach, Florida. The two private pilots and five passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the multiengine-rated private pilot seated in the right front seat (copilot), after engine start and taxi, the pilot performed a runup and did not notice any irregularities. As the pilot taxied the airplane onto the runway for takeoff, the copilot checked the takeoff trim setting, which gave him a clear view of the pilot’s control yoke and he did not notice the presence of the control lock. The pilot then applied the brakes and advanced the throttles to full power. Once at full RPM, the pilot released the brakes, and they began the takeoff roll. Shortly into the takeoff roll, the copilot felt a “slight shudder,” which appeared to come from the controls, but it only lasted for a moment. As they continued down the runway, he realized they should have rotated for liftoff; he observed the airspeed indicator, and they were about 10 to 15 mph past “blueline” (119 mph), but the airplane remained on the runway and continued to accelerate. The copilot looked at the pilot, who was looking down at the controls and trying to determine why he was unable to move the control yoke. The copilot attempted to pull back on the control yoke as well, but the controls would not move. He aborted the takeo
Probable cause
The pilot’s inadequate preflight inspection during which he failed to detect a flight control abnormality, and his failure to expediently abort the takeoff, which resulted in the co-pilot performing a delayed aborted takeoff and the subsequent runway overrun.
More accidents in FL
- Grumman G-73T, Dec 19, 2005
- Beech B90, Jan 5, 1994
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- Cessna 182B, Feb 7, 1982
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Browse: Florida · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
