What happened
On April 9, 2023, at approximately 1611 EDT, a Cessna 402C operating as an on-demand air taxi flight was involved in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The flight, operated by FIRST CLASS AIR CHARTER LLC, originated from Lynden Pindling International Airport (MYNN) in Nassau, Bahamas, under visual flight rules.
While attempting to land on runway 10R at Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (FLL), the pilot reported that the aircraft touched down on the wet runway near the midfield point between taxiways J5 and J7. The pilot stated that the left brake was non-functional and expressed concern that applying excessive right brake would lead to a loss of directional control. Consequently, the aircraft traveled off the end of the runway and into an engineered materials arresting system, where it came to rest in an upright position. There were no injuries to the pilot or the six passengers on board.
The investigation
An FAA inspector examined the wreckage in a hangar two days after the accident. At the time of the inspection, the pilot had already begun unauthorized repairs. The pilot reported that the left brake assembly had been removed and shipped for service, though the destination of the component could not be identified.
The inspection of the N404PJ revealed substantial damage to the lower forward fuselage. Investigators noted several cuts on the sidewalls of the left main landing gear tire and a large flat spot on the tire. The left main landing gear brake hose was found to be capped and contained fluid, with no visible leaks observed.