Cessna 210M accident near West Palm Beach, Florida, December 30, 1983
On December 30, 1983 at about 2:28 pm local time, a Cessna 210M, registered N761HZ, was destroyed in an accident near West Palm Beach, Florida (Palm Beach Intl airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 30, 1983 · about 2:28 pm local time
- Place
- West Palm Beach, Florida · Palm Beach Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 210M · all 210Ms on the register
- Registration
- N761HZ · no longer on the register · serial 21062282
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 1926 THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR THE LOC BC ARCH FOR RWY 27R. AT 1927 THE ACFT ACKNOWLEDGED A CLEARANCE TO LAND. 10 SECS LATER THE RADAR TARGET DISAPPEARED. THE PLT WAS RESCUED AT 2050 FROM THE WATERS OF THE ATLANTIC OCEAN ABOUT 1 MIOFF THE BEACH AT WEST PALM BEACH. THE ACFT WAS NOT RECOVERED & THE 3 PAX ARE ARE MISSING. THE PLT STATED THAT HE CROSSEDTHE FAF (KEACH INTERSECTION) AT 900 FT. MINIMUM ALTITUDE AT THE FAF IS 1,600 FT. THIS WAS THE LAST TIME THE PLT RECALLS LOOKING AT THE ALTIMETER. HE REMEMBERS LOOKING OUTSIDE & BELOW THE ACFT & SEEING A CLOUD LAYER. HE ALSO REMEMBERS THINKING THA THE ATIS WX WAS REPORTED AT 500 FT OVERCAST & THAT BY DESCENDING BELOW THIS LAYER HE SHOULD BREAK OUT OF THE CLOUDS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 150 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520-L (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHS Charleston SC at 9:39 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 27R, 7,789 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.