Cessna 172P accident near Davie, Florida, May 26, 1989
On May 26, 1989 at about 1:33 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65777, was destroyed in an accident near Davie, Florida. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT IN COMMAND TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRPLANE CONTROL WHILE ENTERING AN AREA OF TURBULENCE CAUSED BY WILD FIRES ON THE GROUND BENEATH HIS FLIGHT PATH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1989 · about 1:33 am local time
- Place
- Davie, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65777 · no longer on the register · serial 172-75880
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE POLICE OFFICER/PILOT FLYING THE PUBLIC USE AIRPLANE ON A NIGHT CROSS COUNTRY INSTRUMENT FLIGHT LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO TURN, AND DESCEND IN AN AREA OF TURBULENCE CAUSED BY WILD FIRES ON THE GROUND. THE PILOT'S LAST TRANSMISSION WAS THAT HE WAS IN A 'DEADMANS SPIN'. COMPARISON OF THE PILOTS LOGBOOK WITH AN AIRPLANE FLIGHT LOG REVEALED DESCREPANCIES. THEREFORE, THE EXACT AMOUNT OF FLIGHT EXPERIENCE WHICH THE PILOT HAD COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.
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: 591 hours in all; 404 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,720 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 7, 1989; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: City Of Fort Lauderdale
The flight
- Departed from: TLH Tallahassee FL at 10:30 pm
- Destination: FXE Fort Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 170° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:48 am from FXE, 11 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.
Other NTSB records under N65777 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.