North American NAVION accident near Cooper City, Florida, June 30, 1985
On June 30, 1985 at about 11:00 pm local time, a North American NAVION, registered N8784H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cooper City, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- June 30, 1985 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Cooper City, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N8784H · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-784
- 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 THE ENG LOST POWER DURING A DESCENT ABOUT 5 MI FROM THE ARPT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING & LEFT MAIN GEAR WERE DAMAGED DURING A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY RAMP AREA THAT WAS BEING BUILT. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED ONLY ABOUT 2.5 GAL OF FUEL.
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: 156 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 119 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 2, 1984; 276 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SUA Stuart FL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 15,000 ft; not recorded at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:47 pm from HWO, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.