Cessna 188A accident near Milton, Florida, August 27, 1989
On August 27, 1989 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 188A, registered N5699J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Milton, Florida (Milton T Field). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FLIGHT IN KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER BY THE PILOT. TURBULENCE FROM THE NEARBY THUNDERSTORM WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 27, 1989 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Milton, Florida · Milton T Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 188A · all 188As on the register
- Registration
- N5699J · no longer on the register · serial 18800649
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED HVY TURBULENCE AFTER THE PLT TOOK OFF & TURNED ONTO A DOWNWIND LEG OF THE TRAFFIC PATTERN WITH A THUNDERSTORM NORTHWEST OF THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS STABILIZED & THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND. THE PLT RPRTD THAT AFTER TURNING ONTO FINAL APCH TO LAND, THE ACFT ENTERED AN UNCOMMANDED 90 DEG BANK. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT THE SITUATION, BUT THE ACFT DSCNDD IN A NOSE & RIGHT WING LOW ATTITUDE. BEFORE RECOVERY, THE ACFT CONTACTED THE GROUND & SLID TO A STOP WITH DAMAGE TO THE PROP, ENG MOUNT, RIGHT WING & RIGHT MAIN GEAR.
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: 2,100 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 100 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:59 pm from PNS, 14 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.