Rockwell 112TC accident near Destin, Florida, May 18, 1993
On May 18, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Rockwell 112TC, registered N4579W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Destin, Florida (Destin/Ft. Walton Beach airport). 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 PILOT-IN-COMMAND'S FAILURE TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF ROLL, RESULTING IN AN ON-GROUND LOSS OF CONTROL, AND ON-GROUND COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS THE FAILURE OF THE NOSE WHEEL STEERING CABLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 18, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Destin, Florida · Destin/Ft. Walton Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112TC
- Registration
- N4579W · no longer on the register · serial 13069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT STATED THAT ON TAKEOFF ROLL FROM RUNWAY 32, AT ABOUT 60 KNOTS AND AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 1,500 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY, THE AIRPLANE SWERVED TO THE RIGHT DEPARTING THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED HE REGAINED CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AND CONTINUED THE TAKEOFF ROLL. THE AIRPLANE TRAVELED ABOUT ANOTHER 1,000 FEET AND SWERVED TO THE RIGHT DEPARTING THE RUNWAY, CROSSED A DITCH, BECAME AIRBORNE, COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, SEPARATED THE NOSE GEAR, DAMAGED THE LEFT WING, FUSELAGE, AND CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE DID NOT ATTEMPT TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF ROLL DUE TO BEING AT ROTATION AIRSPEED WHEN THE AIRPLANE INITIALLY SWERVED TO THE RIGHT. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE BY AN A & P MECHANIC REVEALED THE LEFT NOSE WHEEL STEERING CABLE WAS HANGING DOWN FROM THE LANDING GEAR TRUNION AREA.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,891 hours in all; 62 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,251 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1992; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,850 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-CIA6D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 81J at 6:29 pm
- Destination: PNS Pensacola FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Observation at 6:47 pm from PFN, 22 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.