Douglas C-47 accident near Summerland Key, Florida, May 3, 1989
On May 3, 1989, a Douglas C-47, registered N28889, was destroyed in an accident near Summerland Key, Florida. It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ASSURE PROPER ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE WAS MAINTAINED ABOVE THE TERRAIN AND TREES. THE TREES AND LIGHT CONDITION AT DUSK WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 1989
- Place
- Summerland Key, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas C-47 · all C-47s on the register
- Registration
- N28889 · no longer on the register · serial 20520
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT (A MONROE COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL OPN) BEGAN AT ABOUT 1740 EDT TO CONDUCT LOW ALT SPRAYING. WHEN IT DID NOT RETURN, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. AT ABOUT 0245, THE ACFT WAS FOUND IN A REMOTE AREA ON WATER KEY NEAR THE TOWN OF SUMMERLAND KEY, FL. EVIDENCE AT THE ACDNT SCENE SUGGESTED THE ACFT STRUCK 40 FT HIGH MANGROVE TREES WITH THE LEFT WING AS THE PLTS WERE MAKING A PROCEDURE TURN TO START ANOTHER SPRAY RUN. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENGS WAS FOUND. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES, BUT THE ACDNT WAS ESTD TO HAVE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 2030 EDT. SUNSET WAS AT 1952 EDT. ABOUT 22 MI SW AT KEY WEST, THE 1750 WX WAS IN PART: 1500' SCAT, 10 MI VIS, WIND FROM 330 DEG AT 10 KTS. APRX 85 MI NNE, THE WIND WAS FROM 100 DEG AT 11 KTS.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,165 hours in all; 1,702 in this make and model; 7,141 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,317 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1989; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 26,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-1830 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTH Marathon FL at 9:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from TMB, 85 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 MIA89GA144.