Cessna 172RG accident near Cedar Key, Florida, August 10, 1985
On August 10, 1985 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N6419R, was destroyed in an accident near Cedar Key, 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
- August 10, 1985 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Cedar Key, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N6419R · no longer on the register · serial 172RGO810
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE MANAGER OF THE DESTINATION ARPT SAID THE PLT HAD CALLED EARLIER IN THE EVENING & HAD ASKED TO BE PICKED UP AT THE ARPT. THE PLT SAID THAT HE WOULD FLY OVER THE MANAGER'S HOUSE AFTER HE ARRIVED. THE MANAGER HEARD THE ACFT FLY OVER FROM EAST TO WEST. REPORTEDLY, THE ENG WAS RUNNING NORMALLY UNTIL THE ACFT CRASHED IN THE OPEN SEA APRX 1-1/2 MI WEST-SOUTHWEST OF THE ARPT. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED & THE PASSENGER'S BODY WAS FOUND AT ABOUT 0030 EDT. THE PLT'S BODY WAS NOT FOUND UNTIL THE NEXT DAY AT APRX 1330. THE ACFT WAS FOUND & RETRIEVED FROM WHERE IT CRASHED IN ABOUT 15 FT OF SEA WATER. IT WAS DESTROYED BY IMPACT. THE ENG HAD SEPARATED FROM THE FIREWALL. THE PROP BLADES WERE TWISTED & BENT IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION OF ROTATION. THE RIGHT WING WAS STILL ATTACHED TO THE FUSELAGE & THE LEADING EDGE WAS CRUSHED CHORDWISE. THE LEFT WING WAS BROKEN & DISTORTED. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS OF THE PLT'S BLOOD & URINE SHOWED ALCOHOL LEVELS OF 0.157% & 0.188%, RESPECTIVELY.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 127 hours in all; 11 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,569 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1985; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lakeland Aviation CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: LAL Lakeland FL
- Destination: CDK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:57 am from GNV, 53 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.