What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
A Cessna 172N skyhawk, departed from north perry hollywood airport (khwo) at 18:30 (local) (23:30 (UTC)) from runway 10R and entered a right traffic pattern with a departure westbound on the downwind leg. After approximately 12 nautical miles, the pilot entered a shallow northbound turn. Per automatic dependent surveillance–broadcast (ADS-B), the last recorded location of the aircraft was approximately 0.06 miles from the I-75 (and east of mile marker 28) and 5.4 miles west-northwest of Weston, FL. The ADS-B data indicated an erratic altitude profile. The wreckage indicates that the aircraft suffered a post-crash fire. The right-seat pilot text messaged his girlfriend (in California) 4 minutes before the accident stating, “so dark night…u can’t see anything tonight” along with a photo of the cockpit and outside view.
The flight was conducted for time-sharing (time building). The pilot sitting in the left seat for the flight rented the aircraft. The second pilot was invited to act as a safety pilot for the flight.
No logbooks or any other pilot records indicating flight time and currency were available.
As the FAA filed it
A CESSNA 172N SKYHAWK, DEPARTED FROM NORTH PERRY HOLLYWOOD AIRPORT (KHWO) AT 18:30 (LOCAL) (23:30 (UTC)) FROM RUNWAY 10R AND ENTERED A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN WITH A DEPARTURE WESTBOUND ON THE DOWNWIND LEG. AFTER APPROXIMATELY 12 NAUTICAL MILES, THE PILOT ENTERED A SHALLOW NORTHBOUND TURN. PER AUTOMATIC DEPENDENT SURVEILLANCE–BROADCAST (ADS-B), THE LAST RECORDED LOCATION OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 0.06 MILES FROM THE I-75 (AND EAST OF MILE MARKER 28) AND 5.4 MILES WEST-NORTHWEST OF WESTON, FL. THE ADS-B DATA INDICATED AN ERRATIC ALTITUDE PROFILE. THE WRECKAGE INDICATES THAT THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED A POST-CRASH FIRE. THE RIGHT-SEAT PILOT TEXT MESSAGED HIS GIRLFRIEND (IN CALIFORNIA) 4 MINUTES BEFORE THE ACCIDENT STATING, “SO DARK NIGHT…U CAN’T SEE ANYTHING TONIGHT” ALONG WITH A PHOTO OF THE COCKPIT AND OUTSIDE VIEW.
THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED FOR TIME-SHARING (TIME BUILDING). THE PILOT SITTING IN THE LEFT SEAT FOR THE FLIGHT RENTED THE AIRCRAFT. THE SECOND PILOT WAS INVITED TO ACT AS A SAFETY PILOT FOR THE FLIGHT.
NO LOGBOOKS OR ANY OTHER PILOT RECORDS INDICATING FLIGHT TIME AND CURRENCY WERE AVAILABLE.
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.