Beechcraft C-45G N555NJ

Summary

On 11 December 1998 at about 01:57 local time, a Beechcraft C-45G registered N555NJ, operated by National Jets, Inc., was involved in an accident near Charlotte Amali. 2 people were 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

11 December 1998 at 01:57

Classification

Accident

Location

Charlotte Amali

Nearest airport

Cyril E King (TIST)

Coordinates

Not recorded

Aircraft

Beechcraft C-45G

Registration

N555NJ

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

National Jets, Inc.

Operating rule

Part 135: Air Taxi & Commuter

Purpose of flight

Unknown

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Fort Lauderdale → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Night/Dark

NTSB number

MIA99LA062

Nobody was injured.

The inadequate flare by the pilot-in-command resulting in a hard landing on the nose landing gear causing it to collapse.

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

Read the full NTSB narrative

The captain seated in the right seat, stated that while on short final approach, the flight encountered gusty winds. The flight continued and when the flight was 8 feet above the runway, the airplane descended and landed flat on all three landing gears. The airplane then bounced and he applied partial power and full aft on the control column but the airplane touched down and the nose immediately contacted the runway followed by the propellers. The first officer stated that during the final approach to the runway, he noted the captain manipulating the flight controls in response to the turbulence. He stated 'we seemed to fly into the runway' landing hard first on the nose landing gear followed by the main landing gears. The airplane then bounced and landed hard again on the nose landing gear which 'gave way.' The airplane then veered off the runway and came to rest upright. Review of weather observations taken from the airport 4 minutes before the accident and 13 minutes after the accident revealed no report of wind gusts or rain at those times. The rain began 7 minutes after the reported time of the accident. According to the Director of Flight Operations, company policy prohibits exchange of seats by the captain and first officer, unless authorized by him; he did not authorize the seat exchange on the accident flight.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.