North American NAVION accident near Defuniak Spring, Florida, May 31, 1987
On May 31, 1987 at about 5:55 pm local time, a North American NAVION, registered N4007K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Defuniak Spring, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 31, 1987 · about 5:55 pm local time
- Place
- Defuniak Spring, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American NAVION · all NAVIONs on the register
- Registration
- N4007K · no longer on the register · serial NAC-4-1007
- 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 AFTER TAKEOFF, AT APRX 500 FT, THE ENG LOST POWER. HE THEN TURNED ON THE ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP IN AN ATTEMPT TO RESTORE IT. UNABLE, HE THEN ELECTED TO LAND THE ACFT, DURING WHICH, IT COLLIDED WITH TREES, FELL TO THE GROUND & CAME TO REST. INSP OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE FUEL TANKS CONTAINED APRX 40 GALLONS OF FUEL, OF WHICH 30 WAS AUTOMOTIVE FUEL. ACCORDING TO PUBLISHED FAA INFORMATION THE USE OF AUTOMOTIVE FUEL MAY CAUSE VAPOR LOCK. POST CRASH RUN-UP OF THE ENG REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 3,450 hours in all; 360 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,870 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 29, 1986; 85 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,233 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E185-I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from CEW, 20 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.
Other NTSB records under N4007K the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.