Cessna 320 accident near Panama City, Florida, December 2, 1986
On December 2, 1986 at about 1:24 am local time, a Cessna 320, registered N1FD, was destroyed in an accident near Panama City, Florida (Panama City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- December 2, 1986 · about 1:24 am local time
- Place
- Panama City, Florida · Panama City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 320 · all 320s on the register
- Registration
- N1FD · registry record · serial 320-006
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE EXECUTING AN ILS APPROACH WITH AIRCRAFT RADIOS THAT WERE NOT OPERATING PROPERLY AND USING A HAND HELD TRANSCEIVER, THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED DUE TO A BROKEN FUEL PRESSURE SENSOR WIRE, AND THE PILOT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT IN IMC CONDITIONS AND CRASHED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,006 hours in all; 186 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 2,900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 1986; 167 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,990 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-470-B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PNS Pensacola FL at 1:00 am
- Destination: PFN Panama City FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 6,314 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 060° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:30 am from PFN, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.