Cessna 172 accident near Daytona Beach, Florida, February 18, 1984
On February 18, 1984 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N738SN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Daytona Beach, Florida (Daytona Beach airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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
- February 18, 1984 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Daytona Beach, Florida · Daytona Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N738SN · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE ARRIVED AT THE ARPT TO LAND, THE WIND WAS FROM 330 DEG GUSTING TO ABOUT 15 TO 17 KTS. ON FINAL APCH TO LAND ON RWY 27L, HE DECIDED TO SLIP THE ACFT & USE A FASTER THAN NORMAL SPEED TO COMPENSATE FOR THE WIND & EXTRA WEIGHT OF THE PASSENGERS. AFTER LANDING, HE WAS 'RUNNING OUT OF RWY' & DECIDED TO 'LET THE PLANE GO THRU THE GRASS TO SLOW DOWN.' HOWEVER, THE WING TIP OF THE ACFT HIT A WIND SOCK POLE & WAS DAMAGED.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,620 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PBI Palm Beach FL at 2:00 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 24L, 3,197 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 12 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,300 ft
- Temperature: 12°F (-11°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:58 pm from MIA, 188 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.
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.