Lawsuit filed for $300K after vehicle crash at NASA's former shuttle landing strip

Space Florida has filed a lawsuit against a West Palm Beach-based company specializing in aerodynamic testing for high-speed vehicles after a 2020 accident resulted in over half a million dollars in damages to an electrical transformer at the Kennedy Space Centers former shuttle landing strip.

The crash occurred when a bird unexpectedly struck the test vehicle, causing it to veer off the north end of the runway at low speed. The vehicle collided with a NASA-owned transformer, generating $561,595 in repair and restoration costs. No injuries were reported. Space Florida covered the expenses for repairing the transformer and related infrastructure.

Under a 30-year agreement with NASA, Space Florida oversees operations at KSC's Launch and Landing Facility, a 2.8-mile runway that ranks among the longest worldwide. In the previous year, the runway hosted 218 ground tests for companies including Tesla, Volvo, and the Florida Highway Patrol.

Johnny Bhmer Proving Grounds, LLC, had an agreement with Space Florida to conduct straight-line vehicle testing at the site. According to the lawsuit, the 2020 crash occurred during these testing operations. The suit states that the company is liable for the property damage. Although the company made two partial payments totaling $262,000, a remaining balance of $299,593 is still owed.

Space Florida filed the legal action on November 25 in Orange County Circuit Court, citing breach of contract and negligence. As of December 4, the company had not responded to the lawsuit. A non-jury trial is scheduled for May 17 at the Orange County Courthouse in Orlando.

"An initial insurance payment was made based on an early estimate, but the repair costs were later revised," Space Florida said. "Despite repeated attempts to resolve the remaining balance, the contractor and its insurer have not reimbursed the full cost. Space Florida has ensured that all necessary repairs were completed and is seeking recovery of the validated total to protect taxpayer funds."

During the space shuttle era, 78 of the 135 missions concluded at this runway, with Atlantis making the final landing on July 21, 2011. The facility continues to attract high-performance vehicle tests, including a recent record-breaking autonomous run by a Maserati MC20 that reached 197.7 mph.

The runway stretches 15,000 feet with less than a 1% elevation difference from one end to the other, making it one of the flattest runways in the world, designed to follow the Earth's curvature.

Author: Caleb Jennings