Cessna 172F accident near Fort Walton Bch, Florida, October 27, 1985
On October 27, 1985 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N5219F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Walton Bch, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- October 27, 1985 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Walton Bch, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5219F · registry record · serial 1753246
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES & CRASHED TO THE GROUND DURING A FORCED LANDING NECESSITATED BY AN ENG FAILURE. THE X-COUNTRY FLT HAD BEEN IN THE AIR FOR 4 HRS AND 35 MINS. THE ACFT'S FUEL CAPACITY IS 40 GALS & THE PLT STATED THAT FUEL CONSUMPTION WAS APRX 8 TO 9 GALS PER HR. NO APPRECIABLE AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE ACFT FUEL SYSTEM AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,335 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 1,590 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,605 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 20, 1985; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UOX Oxford MS
- Destination: VPS Eglin Afb FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 050° at 14 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from VPS, 5 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.