Cessna 172N accident near Near Westbay, Florida, April 18, 1982
On April 18, 1982 at about 2:24 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5186D, was destroyed in an accident near Near Westbay, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- April 18, 1982 · about 2:24 am local time
- Place
- Near Westbay, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5186D · no longer on the register · serial 17272442
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE WX BRIEFING THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT VFR FLT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED DUE TO LOW CEILINGS & VISBILITIES JUST EAST OF PANAMA CITY & ALONG THE GULF COAST. AT 2015, APPROXIMATELY 28 MI SE OF DESTIN, THE PLT CONTACTED EGLIN APPROACH CONTROL(A/C) & WAS ADVISED THAT EGLIN A/C HAD NO WX CAPABILITY FOR DESTIN. SHORTLY THEREAFTER THE PLT WAS ADVISED THAT THE EGLIN CONTROL ZONE WAS IFR & WAS ASKED IF HE WAS IFR QUALIFIED. THE PLT STATED HE WAS NOT. THERE WERE NO FURTHER COMMUNICATIONS WITH THE PLT. THE ACFT THEN APPEARED TO BE IN AN ORBIT, & A FEW MINUTES LATER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. ON 4/27/82 THE PLT'S BODY WASHED ASHORE ON THE GULF COAST IN THE VICINTIY OF THE ACFT'S LAST KNOWN POSITION. THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT RECOVERED & THE TWO PAX ARE MISSING & PRESUMED FATAL. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PLT CERTIFICATE ON 4/3/82.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 72 hours in all; 17 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 293 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: Ocala FL
- Destination: Destin FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 2 knots
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 160°F (71°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from VPS, 27 miles away
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.