Douglas DC-7CF accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, November 6, 1992
On November 6, 1992 at about 7:25 am local time, a Douglas DC-7CF, registered HI619, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE #4 ENGINE FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASONS(S), AND THE INABILITY OF THE AIRPLANE TO REMAIN AIRBORNE DUE TO THE OVERGROSS WEIGHT TAKEOFF PERFORMED BY THE PILOT. FACTORS WHICH CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE QUESTIONABLE AIRWORTHINESS OF THE AIRPLANE AND ENGINES DUE TO THE LACK OF RECORDS, AND THE FAILURE OF THE FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION TO ADEQUATELY SURVEIL THE OPERATOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 6, 1992 · about 7:25 am local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Douglas DC-7CF · all DC-7CFs on the register
- Registration
- HI619 · no longer on the register · serial 45158
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CREW REPORTED OVER RADIO THAT THE #4 ENGINE FAILED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, AND THEY WERE ATTEMPTING TO DUMP FUEL WHEN THE #2 ENGINE OVERHEATED. THEY THEN INTENTIONALLY DITCHED THE AIRPLANE. THE WRECKAGE WAS RECOVERED ABOUT 2 WEEKS AFTERWARD, AND THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 50% CORRODED AWAY. DUE TO MASSIVE SALT WATER CORROSION, NO PREIMPACT FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE #4 ENGINE COULD BE IDENTIFIED. NO RECORD OF AIRPLANE/OPERATOR BEING GRANTED CFR PART 129 CERTIFICATE AUTHORITY. NO SUBSTANTIATION OF THE TIMES IN SERVICE FOR THE AIRPLANE, ENGINES, PROPELLERS, AND TIME CHANGE COMPONENTS OR AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES COULD 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: foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 129,000 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Wright 3350 93 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MIA Miami FL at 7:10 am
- Destination: MDSD Santo Domingo OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:36 am from MIA, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 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.