Cessna 421C accident near Ft.Lauderdale, Florida, October 18, 1985
On October 18, 1985 at about 12:42 pm local time, a Cessna 421C, registered N657WM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft.Lauderdale, Florida (Ft Lauderdale airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1985 · about 12:42 pm local time
- Place
- Ft.Lauderdale, Florida · Ft Lauderdale · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 4 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 421C · all 421Cs on the register
- Registration
- N657WM · registry record · serial 421E0474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED ON THE ARPT DURING AN ON DEMAND AIR TAXI FLT. THE PLT STATED THAT ON FINAL APCH HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE AND RAIN. AS HE BROKE OUT OF THE RAIN THE GLARE FROM THE SUN INTERFERRED WITH HIS VISUAL PERCEPTION. A GO AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED BUT THE PLT ALLOWED THE AIRSPEED TO DECREASE. THE ACFT STALLED AND CONTACTED A GRASS AREA TO THE RIGHT OF THE RWY. THE ACFT STALL DETECTOR SYSTEM WAS FOUND TO BE OUT OF CALIBRATION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,182 hours in all; 367 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 9,420 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,919 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 11, 1985; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,450 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental GTSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aircraft Charters,Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ORL Orlando FL
- Destination: FXE Ft.Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 8, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:47 pm from FXE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number MIA86FA014.