North American NAVION L-17B accident near Jacksonville, Florida, January 2, 1982
On January 2, 1982, a North American NAVION L-17B, registered N3906K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jacksonville, Florida (Jacksonville Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1982
- Place
- Jacksonville, Florida · Jacksonville Intl
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION L-17B NAVION L-1
- Registration
- N3906K · no longer on the register · serial 1676
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT EXPERIENCED ENGINE ROUGHNESS AND A DROP IN OIL PRESSURE WHILE IN INSTRUMENT WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AND WAS VECTORED TO RUNWAY 7. THE PREVAILING WEATHER WAS SKY OBSCURED, CEILING AND VISIBILITY ZERO. THE PILOT LINED UP ON THE HIGH INTENSITY APPROACH LIGHTS BUT COULD NOT SEE THE RUNWAY LIGHTS. THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ABOUT 500 FEET LEFT OF THE RUNWAY AND 2/3RDS OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. THE LAST ANNUAL INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS ACCOMPLISHED ON 8/30/80. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN COMPRESSION RING ON ONE OF THE CYLINDERS.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,740 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 2,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,206 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 102 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Safety Devices INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MLB Melbourne FL at 6:35 pm
- Destination: SAV Savannah GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 7, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 0 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 136°F (58°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:52 pm from JAX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.