Cessna 185F accident near Hollywood, Florida, July 29, 1987
On July 29, 1987 at about 9:10 pm local time, a Cessna 185F, registered N9003H, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollywood, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person 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
- July 29, 1987 · about 9:10 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 185F · all 185Fs on the register
- Registration
- N9003H · no longer on the register · serial 18503412
- 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 HE PERFORMED A THOROUGH PREFLIGHT OF THE ACFT TO INCLUDE THE DRAINING OF THE SUMPS & FUEL STRAINER AND NO WATER WAS FOUND. AFTER TAKEOFF WHILE ON THE DOWNWIND LEG, THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT; HOWEVER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POWERLINE, TREE AND VEHICLE BEFORE COMING TO REST ON A ROADWAY. FOUR INDIVIDUALS ON THE GROUND (IN THE VEHICLE) RECEIVED MINOR INJURIES AND ONE RECEIVED NO INJURIES. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED THAT APPROXIMATELY 10 OUNCES OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL STRAINER. ACCORDING TO THE PILOTTHE AIRCRAFT WAS TIED DOWN OUTSIDE, UNCOVERED FOR AT LEAST A MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. LOCAL RESIDENTS STATED THAT A SUBSTANTIAL AMOUNT OF RAIN HAD FALLEN IN THE MONTH PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. NO OTHER PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION/FAILURE WAS FOUND.
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: foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 4,000 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,846 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1986; 370 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:13 pm from HWO
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.