Cessna 172 accident near Moore Haven, Florida, August 10, 1982
On August 10, 1982 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N68266, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moore Haven, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- August 10, 1982 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Moore Haven, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N68266 · registry record · serial 152-82218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON THE RETURN PORTION OF A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT WHEN SHE DEVIATED TO AVOID WEATHER. SHE TRIED TO CIRCUMNAVIGATE AROUND LAKE OKEECHOBEE, BUT IN HER OPINION, THE WEATHER BEGAN TO CLOSE IN WITH THE VISIBILITY DECREASING IN HEAVY RAIN. SHE ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD TO WAIT FOR THE WEATHER TO IMPROVE. WHILE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED SOFT TERRAIN, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE PLANE NOSED OVER.
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: student
- Flight time: 95 hours in all; 53 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 31 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,698 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 93 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings International, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: FPR Ft. Pierce FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from PBI, 60 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.