Cessna C-177B accident near Pahokee, Florida, March 19, 1984
On March 19, 1984 at about 6:23 am local time, a Cessna C-177B, registered N20433, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pahokee, Florida (Pahokee airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- March 19, 1984 · about 6:23 am local time
- Place
- Pahokee, Florida · Pahokee · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna C-177B
- Registration
- N20433 · no longer on the register · serial 177 02672
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0052, SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING BIG CYPRESS, FL, THE PLT CALLED WEST PALM BEACH TOWER & REQUESTED ADVISORIES TO PAHOKEE ARPT. THE CONTROLLER REQUESTED THE FLT'S POSITION, BUT THE PLT WAS NOT SURE OF HIS LOCATION. THE TOWER CONTROLLER CONTACTED MIAMI ARTC FOR ASSISTANCE & THE ACFT WAS LOCATED 35 MI NORTHWEST OF MIAMI, FL. VECTORS WERE PROVIDED TO PAHOKEE, FL. HOWEVER, AT 0123, WHEN THE ACFT WAS ON AN APCH TO THE PAHOKEE ARPT, THE PLT ADVISED THAT HE WAS 'OUT OF FUEL' & WAS DITCHING. THE ACFT WAS DITCHED IN THE OKEECHOBEE LAKE.
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
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PRI Big Cypress FL at 5:50 am
- Destination: Pahokee FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 1,617 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,200 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:23 am from PBI, 35 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.