Beech 77 accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida, June 21, 1997
On June 21, 1997 at about 12:35 pm local time, a Beech 77, registered N1821B, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s), and failure of the student pilot to remain clear of obstructions, while attempting to make a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 21, 1997 · about 12:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Lauderdale, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 77 · all 77s on the register
- Registration
- N1821B · registry record · serial WA-291
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Witnesses heard the aircraft's engine 'shutting on and off' and 'sputtering' as the aircraft climbed shortly after takeoff. The aircraft was at a lower than normal altitude and appeared to be at a slow speed. The student pilot made a steep turn to the left, and witnesses stated he appeared to be trying to return to the airport. Subsequently, the aircraft collided with power lines as it was flying low over a roadway, then it impacted a tree and came to rest in the roadway. Postcrash examination of the engine, aircraft structure, and flight controls showed no evidence of mechanical failure or malfunction. The aircraft had been refueled prior to the flight, and uncontaminated fuel was found in the engine fuel system.
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: student
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 38 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 4 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,141 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 6, 1996; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,675 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: FXE at 12:34 pm
- Destination: PHK Pahokee FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:54 pm from FLL, 1 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.