Temco RALEY D-16A accident near Everglades City, Florida, December 11, 1983
On December 11, 1983 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Temco RALEY D-16A, registered N704T, was destroyed in an accident near Everglades City, Florida (Everglades airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were 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
- December 11, 1983 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Everglades City, Florida · Everglades
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Temco RALEY D-16A RALEY D-16
- Registration
- N704T · registry record · serial TTN-73
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
POWER WAS LOST ON BOTH ENGS SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TURN TOWARDS THE SHORELINE & LAND IN AN OPEN FIELD BUT WAS UNABLE TO DO SO. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE WATER WHILE IN A LEFT BANK & CARTWHEELED. THE FUEL LINE BETWEEN THE MAIN FUEL TANK SUMP & THE LEFT FUEL SELECTOR WAS RUPTURED. THE MAIN FUEL TANK & SUMP WERE VOID OF FUEL. A WITNESS AT THE ARPT STATED THAT HE OBSERVED FUEL LEAKING FROM THE ACFT BOTTOM CENTER SECTION WHILE THE ACFT WAS ON THE GROUND. THE MAIN FUEL TANK IS THE 'COMMON FUEL SOURCE' FOR BOTH ENGS WHEN BOTH FUEL SELECTORS ARE POSITIONED TO THE MAIN TANK.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,600 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,000 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 10, 1983; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-340-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: XO1 Everglades FL at 2:59 pm
- Destination: TMB Miami FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 16 knots
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Observation at 7:45 pm from APF, 30 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.
Other NTSB records under N704T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.