Beech J35 accident near Pensacola, Florida, February 12, 2004
On February 12, 2004 at about 4:16 am local time, a Beech J35, registered N8389D, was destroyed in an accident near Pensacola, Florida (Pensacola Regional Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper decision to conduct flight that exceeded his demonstrated skills/ability. Also causal was his failure to properly execute the instrument approach. Contributing factors were low ceiling, fog, and the pilot's lack of the appropriate certification for the flight.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 12, 2004 · about 4:16 am local time
- Place
- Pensacola, Florida · Pensacola Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech J35 · all J35s on the register
- Registration
- N8389D · no longer on the register · serial D-5530
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated solo private pilot filed an IFR cross-country flight plan for a flight along coastal terrain. While en route, the pilot contacted the terminal radar approach control (TRACON) specialist on duty and requested that his IFR flight plan be amended in order to make an unplanned fuel stop. The accident airplane was given priority handling over other arriving aircraft, and was cleared for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach. A review of air-to-ground communications tapes, transcripts, and archived radar data, revealed that the accident pilot was unable to intercept the glide slope and localizer for the ILS approach to runway 17, or to maintain an assigned altitude or heading. The TRACON specialist was attempting to sequence the pilot for a third attempt to the ILS approach for runway 17, when the pilot stated, in part, "I can't, I can't...I've lost it...." No further radio contact was received from the accident airplane, and the airplane disappeared from the TRACON specialist's radar screen. Search crews located the wreckage about 14 miles north-northwest of the airport, in an area of swampy, tree-covered terrain. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces. No preaccident mechanical anomalies were discovered during the investigation. At the time of the accident the reported weather was, in part: Wind, 090 degrees (true) at 10 knots; visibility, 3/4 statute miles with mist; clouds and sky condition, 100 feet overcast; temperature, 55 degrees F; dew point, 55 degrees F; altimeter, 29.98 inHg.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 506 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,121.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 9, 2004; 12.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 34J New Smyrna Ba FL
- Destination: MSY New Orleans LA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 7,004 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.97 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 am from PNS, 14 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.