Beech F-35 accident near Hollywood, Florida, December 25, 2002
On December 25, 2002 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Beech F-35, registered N4268B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hollywood, Florida (North Perry Hollywood airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot exceeded the design limits of the airplane which resulted in an in flight structural failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 25, 2002 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hollywood, Florida · North Perry Hollywood · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech F-35 · all F-35s on the register
- Registration
- N4268B · registry record · serial D-4241
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, while descending from 3,500 feet at 180 knots indicated airspeed, the airplane began to vibrate. The pilot reduced power and raised the nose of the airplane to slow the airplane down. The pilot continued the descent at 120 MPH. The airplane landed without any further incident. During the post landing inspection of the airplane, the pilot found that the empennage aft of the rear bulkhead had substantial wrinkling near the horizontal stabilizers.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 30,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,778 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 2002; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Teledyne Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FA37 Naples FL at 3:45 pm
- Destination: HWO Hollywood FL
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from HWO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.