Cessna 340A accident near Nr. Orangeville, Florida, November 20, 1983
On November 20, 1983 at about 12:55 pm local time, a Cessna 340A, registered N85JK, was destroyed in an accident near Nr. Orangeville, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- November 20, 1983 · about 12:55 pm local time
- Place
- Nr. Orangeville, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 340A · all 340As on the register
- Registration
- N85JK · registry record · serial 340A0700
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT DISAPPEARED FM RADAR COVERAGE WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT 10,000 FEET MSL NEAR ORANGEVILLE, FL. THE ATC TRANSCRIPT REVEALED THAT THE PLT HAD BEEN INQUIRING ABT THE WEATHER AHEAD OF HIM AND WAS CLEARED TO DESCEND TO 6000 IN ORDER TO GET BELOW STRONG HEADWINDS. ONE MINUTE LATER HE TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS GOING TO STAY AT 10000 BECAUSE HE DID NOT HAVE ANY CHOICE(STRONG TURBULENCE). HIS LAST TRANSMISSION STATED THE WEATHER WAS GETTING WORSE. THE ACFT HAS NOT BEEN LOCATED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,995 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO520-NB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAV Savannah GA at 4:46 pm
- Destination: FLL Ft. Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 15 knots
- Sky: overcast at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from CRG, 20 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.