Condor II accident near Perrine, Florida, August 19, 1983
On August 19, 1983 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Condor II, registered N103HL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Perrine, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 19, 1983 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Perrine, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Condor II
- Registration
- N103HL · no longer on the register · serial 83-105-2
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ON A FLT TO TEST A NEW LIQUID COOLED ENG & ITS RADIATOR SIZE & LOCATION. ON PREVIOUS FLTS, HE HAD NOTED INADEQUATE COOLING. COMPANY PERSONNEL HAD MOVED THE RADIATOR TO IMPROVED ITS EFFICIENCY. ON THE PREVIOUS FLT, THE PLT NOTED THAT THE TEMP GAGE HAD FAILED. HE LANDED ON THE COMPANY'S GRASS STRIP, & WITH ASSISTANCE, DRAINED THE COOLANT SYS, CHANGED THE GAGE & REPORTEDLY RESERVICED THE SYS WITH COOLANT THAT HAD BEEN DRAINED & SAVED. THE PLT STATED THAT PRIOR TO TAKEOFF, HE OPENED THE RADIATOR CAP & HAD SEEN COOLANT IN THE NECK OF THE UPPER SURGE TANK. AFTER TAKING OFF, HE NOTED AN EXCESSIVELY HI COOLANT TEMP. HE REDUCED THE POWER TO PREVENT HEAT DAMAGE TO THE ENG & MANEUVERED TO LAND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, THE ACFT SHUDDERED, PITCHED NOSE DOWN & CRASHED. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE. ONLY ABOUT 2 CUPS OF COOLANT WAS FOUND IN THE SYS. THE COOLING SYS HELD ABOUT 1 GAL OF COOLANT. A 1 GAL CONTAINER USED TO DRAIN & SERVICE THE ACFT WAS FOUND ABOUT 5/8 FUL OF COOLANT.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 685 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Kawasaki 436CC TC440C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Perrine FL at 3:08 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from MIA, 8 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.