Ryan NAVION B accident near Vero Beach, Florida, November 19, 1988
On November 19, 1988 at about 7:20 pm local time, a Ryan NAVION B, registered N5422K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- November 19, 1988 · about 7:20 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Ryan NAVION B · all NAVION Bs on the register
- Registration
- N5422K · no longer on the register · serial NAV-4-2322B
- 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 DRG FLT, THE ENG LOST POWER & HE WAS UNABLE TO RESTART IT. DRG A FORCED LANDING IN A FIELD, THE ACFT STRUCK THREE COWS THAT WERE IN A RAVINE & MOVED IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AS IT WAS APCHG TO LAND. A POST ACDNT EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THERE WAS WATER & OTHER CONTAMINATION IN THE FUEL SYSTEM.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 2,200 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 60 in the last 30 days; 2,100 as pilot in command; 100 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-435 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FPR Fort Pierce FL at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from VRB, 10 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.
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.