Cessna 172K accident near Everglades City, Florida, October 3, 1991
On October 3, 1991, a Cessna 172K, registered N758JN, was destroyed in an accident near Everglades City, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under public-use (government) rules. 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S IMPROPER MANAGEMENT OF FUEL. THIS RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE EXPERIENCING FUEL EXHAUSTION, FORCED LANDING, AND IN FLIGHT COLLISION WITH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1991
- Place
- Everglades City, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N758JN · no longer on the register · serial R1723134
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CIVIL AIR PATROL PRIVATE PILOT AND AERIAL OBSERVER DEPARTED ON A PUBLIC USE FLIGHT IN VFR CONDITIONS. THE FLIGHT WAS DIVERTED BY CAP GROUND PERSONNEL TO ASSIST IN LOCATING A BOAT IN DISTRESS. THE CAP PILOT LOCATED THE BOAT AND REMAINED OVERHEAD, WHILE CAP GROUND PERSONNEL NOTIFIED THE US COAST GUARD. USCG AIRCRAFT WERE DISPATCHED TO THE SCENE AND ESTABLISHED RADIO CONTACT WITH THE CAP AIRCRAFT. THE CAP PILOT INFORMED THE USCG THAT FUEL WAS CRITICAL EN ROUTE TO MARCO. NO FURTHER RADIO CONTACT WAS ESTABLISHED. THE DESTROYED AIRPLANE WAS LOCATED 15 DAYS LATER. BOTH CREWMEMBERS WERE KILLED. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME, FLIGHT CONTROL SYSTEM, PROPELLER SYSTEM, ENGINE AND ACCESSORIES REVEALED NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATED A PRECRASH FAILURE OF MALFUNCTION. NEITHER FUEL TANK WAS RUPTURED AND NO FUEL WAS PRESENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,025 hours in all; 1,025 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-GBC-KB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MKY Marco Island FL at 10:05 pm
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from APF, 20 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.
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.