Cessna 172 accident near Big Pine Key, Florida, March 17, 1985
On March 17, 1985 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1814Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Big Pine Key, Florida. 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
- March 17, 1985 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Big Pine Key, Florida · 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
- N1814Y · no longer on the register · serial 17249414
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT WHILE IN CRUISE FLT AT ABOUT 1200 FT & 2300 RPM THE ENG LOST PWR & THE ACFT WAS DITCHED APRX 100 YARDS OFF SHORE IN THE OCEAN WATERS. THE ACFT WAS FOUND TO HAVE SUFFICIENT FUEL IN BOTH TANKS. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON, THE FUEL SCREEN WAS CLEAN & FUEL WAS PRESENT IN THE CARBURETOR BOWL. THE IGNITION SYSTEM WAS INTACT & DISASSEMBLY OF THE ENG SHOWS NO EVIDENCE OF INTERNAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. THE ACFT WAS OPERATING AT A POWER SETTING & ALT THAT IN REFERENCE TO PERFORMANCE CHARTS FOR TEMP & HUMIDITY IS CONDUSIVE TO CARBURETOR VENTURI ICING.
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: 124 hours in all; 86 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,370 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 21, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TMB Miami FL at 1:30 pm
- Destination: EYW Key West FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:00 pm from EYW, 40 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.
Other NTSB records under N1814Y the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.