Amateur-built FISHER 404 accident near Homestead, Florida, March 25, 1999
On March 25, 1999 at about 1:00 pm local time, a amateur-built FISHER 404, registered N82435, was substantially damaged in an accident near Homestead, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilots improper in-flight planning/decision of an available forced landing area. This resulted in a subsequent in-flight collision with trees. Contributing to the accident was a total loss of engine power due to an inoperative generator coil.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 25, 1999 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Homestead, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built FISHER 404
- Registration
- N82435 · no longer on the register · serial DBD404-01
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated he was at 1,000 feet when the airplane experienced a total loss of engine power. He started a forced landing to a dirt road in a tomato field. The airplane collided with a tree short of his intended forced landing area and crashed. Examination of the crash site revealed a suitable forced landing area left of the pilots flight path. Examination of the engine assembly revealed an inoperative generator coil.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 18,300 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 4,080 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 20 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 540 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: X-51 FL at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 pm from HST, 7 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.