Rockwell 114A accident near Key West, Florida, April 14, 1984
On April 14, 1984 at about 10:04 pm local time, a Rockwell 114A, registered N5942N, was destroyed in an accident near Key West, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- April 14, 1984 · about 10:04 pm local time
- Place
- Key West, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 114A
- Registration
- N5942N · no longer on the register · serial 14539
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT TOOK OFF FROM RWY 27. SEVERAL WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT APPEARED UNUSUALLY SLOW DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB. THE PLT REPORTED TO THE TOWER HE HAD A PROBLEM & WAS GOING TO 'COME AROUND.' THE ACFT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN AND APPEARED TO STOP CLIMBING AT 200 FT AGL. A WITNESS STATED THE LANDING GEAR WAS EXTENDED, THE ENGINE DID NOT SOUND LIKE IT WAS DEVELOPING FULL POWER AND THE LEFT CABIN DOOR WAS OPEN APRX 8 TO 10 INCHES. AFTER APRX 90 DEG OF RIGHT TURN, THE ACFT NOSE DROPPED, THE PLANE ROLLED TO THE RIGHT, THEN IT DESCENDED BELOW THE TREELINE & CRASHED INTO THE SIDE OF A HOUSE. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT STRUCTURE, FLT CONTROLS & ENG REVEALED NO PRE-CRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE LEFT CABIN DOOR WAS FOUND IN THE OPEN POSITION AT THE ACCIDENT SITE.
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: 320 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1984; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,260 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-T4B5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: EYW Key West FL at 10:02 pm
- Destination: 7X1 Sugar Loaf Key FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:09 pm from EYW, 1 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.