Cessna 172 accident near Crystal River, Florida, February 1, 1982
On February 1, 1982 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N5111D, was destroyed in an accident near Crystal River, Florida (Crystal River airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 1, 1982 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Crystal River, Florida · Crystal River
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N5111D · no longer on the register · serial 17272425
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS A FOREIGN NATIONAL THAT WAS DISPATCHED ON A SOLO CROSS-COUNTRY TRAINING FLIGHT. HOWEVER, HE DEPARTED ON A DIFFERENT ROUTE WITH A PASSENGER. DURING THE RETURN FLIGHT, HE ENCOUNTERED DETERIORATING WEATHER AND DECIDED TO LAND AT THE CRYSTAL RIVER AIRPORT. A WITNESS OBSERVED THE PILOT LAND WITH A TAILWIND, THEN INITIATED A GO-AROUND ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY. WHILE CLIMBING OVER TREES, THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED LEFT, THE NOSE DROPPED, AND THE PLANE CRASHED.
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: 112 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 44 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,967 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Perry FL at 10:30 am
- Destination: Opa Locka FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.