Cessna 172 accident near Miami, Florida, September 24, 1984
On September 24, 1984 at about 2:22 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N777TA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Miami, Florida (Opa Locka West 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
- September 24, 1984 · about 2:22 pm local time
- Place
- Miami, Florida · Opa Locka West · 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
- N777TA · registry record · serial 17266953
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED, THE ACFT WAS LIFTED OFF PREMATURELY IN GROUND EFFECT ON TAKEOFF. WHEN THE ACFT REACHED TREE TOP LEVEL A GUST OF WIND CAUSED THE ACFT TO DRIFT TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY WHERE THE RIGHT WING CONTACTED TREES. THE ACFT SPUN 180 DEG IN HEADING BEFORE CONTACTING THE GROUND.
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: 247 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 74 in the last 90 days; 147 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,124 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 18, 1984; 48 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 3,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:47 am from OPF, 8 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.