Cessna 172N accident near Ochopee, Florida, October 8, 1994
On October 8, 1994 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4851D, was destroyed in an accident near Ochopee, Florida. It was an aerial observation flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED WHILE MANEUVERING RESULTING IN AN INADVERTENT STALL AND AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT UNTIL IMPACT IN A SWAMP.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 8, 1994 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ochopee, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4851D · no longer on the register · serial 17272373
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Aerial observation flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLIGHT WAS BEING OPERATED FOR THE PURPOSE OF OBTAINING TELEMETRY INFORMATION FROM FLORIDA PANTHERS WHO WERE EQUIPPED WITH RADIO COLLARS. THE FLIGHT WAS OBSERVED TO APPROACH FROM THE SOUTHEAST AND CIRCLE THREE TIMES TO THE RIGHT WHILE AT A SLOW AIRSPEED AND LOW ALTITUDE. THE FLIGHT THEN HEADED SOUTHEAST AND DESCENDED TO TREE TOP LEVEL. THE AIRCRAFT THEN NOSED UP INTO A STEEP CLIMB AND THE RIGHT WING AND NOSE DROPPED DOWN. THE AIRCRAFT DESCENDED NOSE DOWN AND IMPACTED IN THE SWAMP. NO EVIDENCE TO INDICATE PRECRASH FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRCRAFT STRUCTURE, FLIGHT CONTROLS OR ENGINE WAS FOUND AFTER THE ACCIDENT. THIS WAS THE PILOT'S FIRST PANTHER TRACKING FLIGHT. THE PILOT HAD BEEN BRIEFED NOT TO GO BELOW 500 FEET AND TO WATCH HIS AIRSPEED AND USE FLAPS WHEN AT SLOW SPEEDS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 857 hours in all; 425 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 754 as pilot in command; 146 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,753 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 9, 1994; 94 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APF Naples FL at 11:02 am
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from APF, 40 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.