Cessna 195 accident near Moore Haven, Florida, March 19, 1989
On March 19, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 195, registered N4395N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moore Haven, Florida (Airglades airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind 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
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT WHICH RESULTED IN FUEL EXHAUSTION DUE TO INADEQUATE FUEL SUPPLY. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR WAS A DITCH WHICH THE AIRCRAFT HIT AS THE PILOT WAS APPLYING BRAKES TO AVOID A FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Moore Haven, Florida · Airglades · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 195 · all 195s on the register
- Registration
- N4395N · no longer on the register · serial 700
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AS THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU 9,000 FT FOR 13,000 FT WITH SKYDIVERS ABOARD, THE ENG LOST POWER FROM FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE SKYDIVERS BAILED OUT OVER THE DROP ZONE, THEN THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE ARPT FROM ABOUT 7000 FT. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE BEFORE REACHING THE RWY. THE PLT SAW A FENCE AHEAD & APPLIED HEAVY BRAKING TO AVOID HITTING THE FENCE. HOWEVER, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DITCH AS THE PLT WAS APPLYING BRAKES & THE ACFT NOSED OVER.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 597 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 1989; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,350 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W R-985 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from FMY, 44 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.
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.