Cessna 207 accident near Sebring, Florida, May 31, 1983
On May 31, 1983 at about 9:30 am local time, a Cessna 207, registered N75773, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sebring, Florida (Sebring airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- May 31, 1983 · about 9:30 am local time
- Place
- Sebring, Florida · Sebring · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 207 · all 207s on the register
- Registration
- N75773 · registry record · serial 20700643
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE HEARD A 'THUMP' WHEN HE WAS TAKING OFF FROM ORLANDO WEST ARPT, BUT ATTRIBUTED IT TO THE GRASS STRIP. WHEN HE LANDED AT SEBRING ARPT, HE HEARD A SCRAPING SOUND AS HE LOWERED THE NOSE & ELECTED TO GO AROUND. HE DECIDED THE NOSEWHEEL WAS GONE, SO ON THE NEXT LANDING, THE ENG WAS SHUT DOWN. HE THEN ALLOWED THE NOSE TO SETTLE & SLID TO A STOP. REPORTEDLY, THE NOSEWHEEL WAS LOST SOMETIME PRIOR TO THE LANDING, THE STRUT WAS BENT AFT & THE TIPS OF THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE BENT. ALSO, THE SHERIFF'S INVESTIGATOR'S REPORTED THAT THE PLT'S DOOR APPEARED TO HAVE COME OFF IN FLT, ALL OF THE SEATS WERE MISSING EXCEPT THE PLT'S & MARIJUANA RESIDUE WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,730 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 260 in the last 90 days; 11,730 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520F (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X30 Orlando FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 5,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 am from VRB, 25 miles away
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.