Douglas C-47 N28889

Summary

On 3 May 1989 at about 00:30 local time, a Douglas C-47 registered N28889 was involved in an accident near Summerland Key, Florida, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

3 May 1989 at 00:30

Classification

Accident

Location

Summerland Key, Florida, United States

Coordinates

24.6591, -81.4498

Aircraft

Douglas C-47

Registration

N28889

Category

Airplane

Engines

2

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Public Use

Purpose of flight

Public Use

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Marathon → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

MIA89GA144

2 people died.

THE FAILURE OF THE PILOT-IN-COMMAND TO ASSURE PROPER ALTITUDE AND CLEARANCE WAS MAINTAINED ABOVE THE TERRAIN AND TREES. THE TREES AND LIGHT CONDITION AT DUSK WERE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

THE FLT (A MONROE COUNTY MOSQUITO CONTROL OPN) BEGAN AT ABOUT 1740 EDT TO CONDUCT LOW ALT SPRAYING. WHEN IT DID NOT RETURN, A SEARCH WAS INITIATED. AT ABOUT 0245, THE ACFT WAS FOUND IN A REMOTE AREA ON WATER KEY NEAR THE TOWN OF SUMMERLAND KEY, FL. EVIDENCE AT THE ACDNT SCENE SUGGESTED THE ACFT STRUCK 40 FT HIGH MANGROVE TREES WITH THE LEFT WING AS THE PLTS WERE MAKING A PROCEDURE TURN TO START ANOTHER SPRAY RUN. NO PREIMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENGS WAS FOUND. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES, BUT THE ACDNT WAS ESTD TO HAVE OCCURRED AT ABOUT 2030 EDT. SUNSET WAS AT 1952 EDT. ABOUT 22 MI SW AT KEY WEST, THE 1750 WX WAS IN PART: 1500' SCAT, 10 MI VIS, WIND FROM 330 DEG AT 10 KTS. APRX 85 MI NNE, THE WIND WAS FROM 100 DEG AT 11 KTS.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.