Cessna 208B accident near Destin, Florida, November 16, 1991
On November 16, 1991 at about 12:10 pm local time, a Cessna 208B, registered N951FE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Destin, Florida (Destin Ft. Walton airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOTS FAILURE TO FOLLOW INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RULES PROCEDURES BY DISREGARDING THE MINIMUM DESCENT ALTITUDE FOR THE APPROACH AND FAILING TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE TERRAIN. A FACTOR IN THE ACCIDENT WAS THE PILOT'S OVER CONFIDENCE IN HIS PERSONAL ABILITY.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 16, 1991 · about 12:10 pm local time
- Place
- Destin, Florida · Destin Ft. Walton · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 208B · all 208Bs on the register
- Registration
- N951FE · no longer on the register · serial 208B0058
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT CTCD APCH CTL & WAS GIVEN THE WX AS SKY PTLY OBSCD, CEILING 100 FT, VIS 1/16 MI WITH FOG, WIND CALM. THE PLT THEN REQUESTED A SURVEILLANCE RADAR APCH TO RWY 14, TO BE FLWD BY A SURVEILLANCE APCH TO RWY 32, IN THE EVENT OF A MISSED APCH FROM RWY 14. THE PUBLISHED APCH MINIMUMS WERE 1-1/4 MI VIS, CEILING 460 FT MSL (438 FT AGL). THE RADAR CTLR OBSERVED AN ALT READOUT THAT WAS BELOW THE PUBLISHED MINIMUMS & ADZD THE PLT TO EXECUTE A MISSED APCH. NO RESPONSE WAS RCVD FROM THE PLT. THE ACFT WAS FND FLOATING IN THE BAY APRX 2 MI FORM THE END OF THE RWY. ANOTHER PLT (BASED AT THE SAME FACILITY) STATED THAT THE TWO PLTS HAD, ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS, ATTEMPTED THE APCH AT TIMES WHEN THE WX WAS RPRTD TO BE LESS THAN THAT REQUIRED FOR THE APCH.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,400 hours in all; 2,142 in this make and model; 275 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,247 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, November 1, 1991; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 8,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-114 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Baron Aviation Services INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis TN at 9:50 am
- Destination: 81J Destin FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: broken clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:22 pm from VPS, 4 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.